The Ambiguity of Life
by wowsergirl
Summary: Harry is having a bad summer, but things only go down hill when he is abandonned by the Durselys and captured by deatheaters. Will he be able to escape when he is already plagued by guilt? RR and correct, flames me no bother :) thanx
1. Taken

Disclaimer – I do not want to have to do a disclaimer for all of the chapters I write, so here it is . . . all characters, sets, etc., are property of the all-holy JK and many of the companies associated with her, so yeah, I do not want anyone to sue me, plus, it would be pointless, I have no money. . .

A/N – this story is probably not going to be the best one you ever read, and I hope to get better in time, so both flames and compliments are welcome, thanx

-Lizzie


	2. One Less Student

Severus muttered darkly as he made his way up Privet Drive, subconsciously checking each house for a number four.  He stared at the correct house for a moment before making his way up the walk.  Why did that stupid potter boy always have to make things difficult?  Why couldn't he just board the train like all the other magical brats that went to Hogwarts?  And last of all, why did Albus have to send him to retrieve potter?  He was sure that Lupin would have been more than happy to go.  Severus shook his head, dismissing the thought from his mind.  He had long ago given up trying to fathom the way the headmasters mind worked.

            He knocked on the door and got more and more irritated as the second went by.  He rolled his eyes and knocked a second time, this time a little louder than the first.  Finally, right as Severus was about to turn around and give up the door opened, revealing a very skinny, horse faced woman.  She spoke before Severus could even open his mouth.  

"Do come in." Severus was shocked to say the least, but followed that lady inside.  He was led through what looked like a living room and into a kitchen where Harry was sitting eating diner with the two remaining Dursleys.

"Hello Professor Snape" Harry said quietly.  Snape gawked at him in confusion for a moment.  Since when was the potter boy polite?  Recovering his cool quickly he spoke.  

"I have come to collect you potter.  Go grab your things."  He waited for a few seconds and still the boy did nothing, staring quietly at his hands as though he hadn't heard Snape.  He was causing Severus to get irritated.  "Go get your things!  I don't have all night you know."  Harry gasped slightly, but he did say something, albeit quietly.  

"I think I would rather stay here professor, if that is alright with you."  Severus looked at him skeptically, 

"Yes, and I am Santa Clause.  I have heard you complaining about those awful relatives of yours, there is no way you would want to stay here."  He rolled his eyes.  "Dumbledore sent me to get you, and that is what I plan on doing, now move!"  The anger and annoyance that Severus was feeling was showing clearly on his face, but Harry still made no movement to get up.  Snape sighed exasperatedly and began to walk towards Harry when the boy's voice stopped him.  

"No professor, please, I would really rather remain here."  Snape was confused, from what he could see, potter was not smiling.  In fact, he made no indication what so ever of this being a joke.  What was going on?  

"Much as I would love for you not to return to Hogwarts," Snape sneered, "I am on strict orders to return back as soon as possible, with you, so please go get your stuff!"  Harry still sat there staring at his hands; he hadn't looked up once for as long as Snape had been there.  Was he embarrassed about not wanting to go back to school?  Snape would have to think about it later, right now, he just wanted to get going.  "Fine!"  Snape through up his hands in annoyance, "if I have to physically move you, I will."  Snape once again started towards Harry, and Harry's voice once again stopped him.  

"Please sir, just leave."  Snape stood quietly for a moment before continuing in an obviously restrained voice,

 "Potter-"

"Please," he repeated, "please sir, just leave."  His voice was so quiet, so controlled, yet Severus could hear how desperate he sounded.  It was obvious that it was costing him a lot to say this, and who was the Slytherin not to agree to get rid of his least favorite student?  He would just tell the headmaster that the potter boy wished to remain at the Dursleys.  What was wrong with that?  Students had a right to choose whether or not they wished to attend Hogwarts, and after all, he was just another student.  With his mind made up and a quick "Fine!" for good measure, Severus apparated to just outside the Hogwarts grounds where he walked slowly up to the castle.

A/N – the chapters will get longer after this, I promise, in fact, this is the shortest chapter I have ever written, but it was a good place to stop, R/R,  thanx!

-Lizzie


	3. Grave Mistakes

Harry flexed his fingers in attempts to start the blood circulating again.  It wasn't that it was cold in September, but at 6:00 in the night, when the sun had already gone down, it did get a little chilly; and sitting out in the garden, trying to pry the weeds out of the frozen ground had not done much to warm him up.

            Finally the last weed came out of the ground; Harry stood up slowly and stretched out his sore and aching body.  It wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't spent the previous part of his summer being starved and beaten by the Dursleys.  He cautiously tested out each leg before putting his full wait on it to take a step forward.  Every time he took a step with his right leg he could feel the two segments of his femur grinding painfully together.  He was about halfway to the house when Petunia stuck her head out of the window, Harry straightened up immediately.  He wouldn't let the Dursleys have the satisfaction of knowing that that caused him pain.  Petunia glared at him.

"What is taking you so long?  I have to run to the store to get some biscuits.  I want dinner on the table when I get back.  Do you hear me?"  Harry nodded and began to slowly make his way back to the house, "Hurry up!" she screeched.

"Sorry," Harry began meekly, "I sat down for too long, and my joints are a little stiff."  He gave her a very weak smile before she scowled and turned back inside muttering, "Ungrateful little brat, doesn't even care that we're hungry."  Harry shook his head slightly before making hobbling the rest of the way to the house.

            Harry had just finished cooking dinner when Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley had arrived home.  He had, as quickly as he could, put the plates and silverware on the table, but unfortunately, that had not been quick enough.  A large fist came in contact with the back of his head, and he was sent flying across the kitchen where he hit the wall with a sickening crunch.

"Petunia gives you one easy task and you can't even finish it?  Stupid boy!"  He was rewarded with one swift kick to his already broken ribs before Vernon sat down at the table and was waiting to be served. It had been when he was getting up that he made the grave mistake.  He had quickly glanced out the front window before turning around, and he had seen a person walking up the front walk.   It had looked like, but no, it couldn't be, could it?

"Professor Snape?"  Harry whispered quietly to himself, confused, what was he doing here?  It had been then that Harry had learned just how cruel the Dursleys could be.  He did not know exactly what day it was, his blows to the head had helped with that, but he did think that when September first rolled around that the Dursleys would take him to Kings Cross, glad to be rid of him, but it seemed that was not the case.

            As soon as the cursed whisper had escaped his lips Vernon had glimpsed out of the window, risen and grabbed Harry roughly, successfully dislocating the shoulder of his already broken arm, and yanked Harry's face right up to his.  

"Who is that?"  Vernon's hot breath was sticking to Harry's skin, but he didn't dare pull away.

"Professor Snape," Harry replied in an unusually calm voice.

"From that school of yours?"  Harry nodded in reply.  Just then there was a knock on the door.  Vernon shoved Harry down in the chair opposite the door and grabbed the knife Harry had cut the steak with, pushing it firmly into Harry's bruised skin.

"You want to stay here, got it?"  he emphasized that last two words by pushing the knife further into Harry's back.  He could feel the blood seeping out of the cut, but just nodded.  Snape knocked on the door again.  "Petunia, go answer the door!"

"Yes Vernon," she answered, getting out of her chair and heading for the door, throwing one cruel glance back at Harry before reaching for the doorknob.  "Do come in."  Her sickeningly sweet voice was almost too much for Harry to handle, but the blade in his back helped keep his thoughts straight.

            As soon as Snape walked into the kitchen Vernon increased the pressure of the blade.

"Hello professor Snape," he said quietly, silently hoping he would see what was happening.  No such luck.  After a moments pause Snape began,

"I have come to collect you potter.  Go grab your things."  Harry didn't answer in hopes that one, Snape would either go away, or two, that he would see something was wrong, all that happened was the silent movement of Vernon causing more blood to trickle down his back, soaking into the hem of his dirty pants.   "Go get your things! I don't have all night you know."  Snape spat at him bitterly.  Vernon, in fright that Harry might blow out his cover, pushed a little harder than needed on the knife.  Harry gasped slightly in pain, but answered none the less.

"I think I would rather stay here professor, if that is alright with you."  Harry kept his eyes on his hands, Vernon knew about that black eye and the bruises Harry had, if Snape showed any sign of knowing what was going on, Harry was pretty sure that knife would be the last thing he felt.  Snape stared at him, obviously unbelieving, but nothing could have prepared Harry for what he said next.

"Yes, and I am Santa Clause.  I have heard you complaining about those awful relatives of yours, there is no way you would want to stay here."  When Vernon heard this Harry felt that damn knife go farther into his back, he was sure that there must be a puddle of blood on his seat by now.  Snape continued, "Dumbledore sent me to get you, and that is what I plan on doing, now move!"  When Harry made no response, Snape started walking towards him.

"No professor, please, I would really rather remain here."    This had the desired affect as both Snape and the knife stopped their journey towards (or into) Harry.

"Much as I would love for you not to return to Hogwarts," Snape sneered, "I am on strict orders to return back as soon as possible, with you, so please go get your stuff!"  Harry did nothing but stare at his hands.   "Fine!  If I have to physically move you, I will."  Snape started walking towards Harry again and he panicked, seriously fearing for his life, though he might bleed to death at this rate anyways.

"Please sir, just leave."  Snape stopped once again, he was obviously very aggravated.

"Potter-"

"Please," Harry begged, "Please sir, just leave."

"Fine!"  Snape shouted in compliance, and with that, he disapparated.  Vernon slowly and painfully removed the knife from Harry's back.  He turned his infuriated face towards Harry.

"If that ever," Harry tried not to cringe at the fury his uncle was radiating, "ever, happens again, you will not be so lucky."  With that he grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him out of the kitchen throwing him painfully into the cupboard and locking the door with the six locks they had installed since Harry's return that summer. 

            Harry lay down on the cold, hard floor, the events of the night playing over and over in his head.  He had had a chance, why hadn't he taken it?  Oh well, it was no use worrying about it now, he would spend the rest of his teen years locked in a cupboard, if he hadn't starved to death by then.  He rolled over onto his ram in hopes that he could help diminish the pain in his back, but as his arm was both broken and dislocated it didn't help much.

            After a few moments of useless attempts to lie down comfortably Harry sat up, deciding to do a full body check of his injuries in hopes that he might be able to mend one of them without his wand.  The Dursleys had taken his wand, his trunk, all of his belongings and burned them as soon as he had stepped into the house.  Luckily he had managed to save his wand from the same fate that the rest of his possessions had received, but it had only been for a few days.  They had found his wand stuffed into a little crevice in the infinitesimal cupboard under the stairs and they had snapped it in half, gasping greatly when the gorgeous red feather and spilled out.  Petunia couldn't help but use it for a decoration in the living room.  Harry laughed at that, his wand, his prize possession being used as a mere decoration in a muggle's house.  Shaking his head, he concentrated on the task at hand.  How extensive was the damage?

            He slowly pulled of his shirt, so as not to cause himself too much pain, not that it was really that hard.  It was one of Dudley's old shirts and it practically fell of his emaciated body anyways.  Even so, he winced as the shirt tugged slightly on the ribs that stuck so far out of his skin.  Finally it was all the way off and he sighed sadly as he examined himself.

            He pushed softly on each of his ribs cringing when his fingers came in contact with a broken one.  After a few moments of searching he found that only 4 of his ribs were, in fact broken, luckily they were some of the bottom ones, so it was unlikely that they would do much harm to his lungs.  He knew for a fact that his left arm was both broken and dislocated but he had no idea if anything was wrong with his right arm, and other than the many bruises and cuts he couldn't see much permanent damage.  He grimaced when upon turning his arm over he found the burn mark, he closed his eyes, sighing in tragic remembrance.

_"Get down here boy!"  Vernon called into the door, banging his fist loudly causing Harry's aching head and scar to throb with pain.  Moving very slowly and painfully he made his way towards the kitchen, ready to do whatever his tormenters wanted.  "Make breakfast you worthless thing!"  Petunia spat at him as soon as he set foot in the kitchen.  "Yes Aunt Petunia" Harry replied wearily, making his way towards the stove.  Despite the expression of nonchalance on Harry's face, he was fairly please to be able to make breakfast.  Maybe this way he might be able to eat a little something, they hadn't fed him anything in two days for various trivial reasons._

_            He quickly the got the bacon in one griddle and eggs in another, hoping that if he got it all set up, he might be able to sit down for a moment.  The pain in his scar was causing the edges of his vision to become blurry.  He had had another one of those dreams, the ones that were more of a nightmare than a dream.  He slid down the side of the counter, holding his head in his hands, desperately willing the constant throbbing to stop.  He drifted slowly to and from consciousness.  _

_            He didn't know how long he had been sitting there, but what brought him back to reality was the smell of something burning.  He quickly jumped up and caught sight of the bacon and the eggs, both burnt to a crisp.  Pentunia came rushing over.  "What have you done you idiot!  These were the last eggs in the house!"  With that she had taken the hot pan from the stove and shoved it onto Harry's arm, then onto his neck and whatever bare piece of skin she could reach, repeating again and again, "stupid boy, you would be better of dead, cant believe someone could be this useless . . ."_

Harry spent the next few hours doing what he could to heal his wounds.  He had managed to pop his shoulder back into place, but it was still terribly sore.  He still cringed involuntarily every time he put pressure on one of his injuries.  He figured that he would be use to the pain by now, but it seems as though the gods were once again against him.  His ankle was purple and swollen, obviously broken, his femur snapped in half from when Vernon had jumped on his leg.  He lay back down on the cold floor, terribly nostalgic for the mattress that he had had in here when he was younger, and despite all the pain, Harry managed to fall into a light sleep, sure to do more harm in the nightmares than good in the rest.


	4. Breaking Away

Harry tossed and turned painfully in his sleep.  His thoughts and dreams on the one person who was able to cause him more harm than the Dursleys ever could.

_            A little boy was sleeping peacefully in his bed; there was no sound but the footsteps on the stairs coming down to his room.  Suddenly there was a large explosion and the door to the young boys room burst open causing the young child to shout out in surprise.  After a moment of waiting while the boy's eyes adjusted to the darkness, he paled.  His eyes were resting on the hooded figure standing in the shadows of the doorway.  In the darkness the boy could only see one thing of this man, his face.  It was Voldermort.   _

_"MOTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  The boy screamed, in hopes that his mother would come save him.  Voldermort just laughed his high cold laugh that sent shivers down Harry's spin even in his sleep._

_"Stupid boy, your parents are already dead" Voldermort smirked at him, "as you will be in a moment."  Colin burst into tears, gripping his sheets so hard his knuckles were turning white. "Please no sir, please don't kill me"._

Although unconscious, Harry still gasped audibly when he saw the face of the boy in his dream, heard the desperate note his voice had taken.  Why Colin?

_"Alright, I will make a deal with you, if you want to live, you will answer one question for me.  Tell me, where Dumbledore is keeping Harry Potter this summer?"_

_"I, I don't know" Colin stammered._

_"Stupid boy!"  A jet of green light shot out of Voldermort's wand and Colin slumped unceremoniously onto his bed.  _

            Harry woke up a moment later when he started to cough.  He sat up quickly and tried to remove the fluid from his lungs.  He looked down at his hands; they were covered in blood, in his blood.  His eyes widened in shock.  How, where, what, blood?  His mind was racing trying to figure what had happened.  He felt slowly around his face for a moment till his fingers pressed softly on his scar, he let out a sharp yelp of pain, and surely enough, when he pulled his fingers back from his forehead they were drenched in blood.

            Harry sighed as he got up.  It was barely 3:50 am, and yet he was up and running, and due to the dream that he had just had, he doubted whether he would be able to go back to sleep.  Harry grabbed one of his old shirts, the ones that had so many holes that he couldn't wear it without it falling off, and tied it tightly around his scar.  He was about to go and mull over his dream (he knew it was a vision, but he didn't want to admit it) when the door to the closet suddenly burst open.

"Damn boy!  What do you think you are doing screaming like that?  Trying to wake the whole neighborhood?"  Harry was thrown out of the closet and to he ground with a single swat at his back.  Vernon kicked him savagely in the ribs.  Harry winced in pain but did not cry out, he never did anymore, it seemed that the knowledge that Harry was in pain would fuel Vernon on, causing Harry a much harsher degree of damage than if he remained silent.  

            The beating lasted for only a few minutes this time.  Harry was happy that Vernon was so tired, not only did he not beat Harry as hard, but his insults weren't quite as hurtful and creative as usual, just the normal, "Your parents died because of you!"  "You are a worthless freak of a human being!" "I'll teach you for being such a disgrace."  The last of which was usually the conclusive one, followed normally by a very sharp kick to the head and Vernon departing.

            Harry dragged himself back over to his bed (a shirt that was larger than the rest), noticing briefly that his glasses, that were already broken, had one lens that had completely shattered.  He picked up all the pieces if glass and held them in his palm for a moment, catching his breath.  Harry let one tear slide along his cheek, knowing that it would be the last one to ever do so again.  Harry Potter would cry no more, it was hard to cry without feelings.

            He heard a slight movement outside of his door, and his palms tightened in fear.  He sat perfectly still for a moment, not daring to breath.  He slowly relaxed; still ready to take action if the need arise.  It was then that he noticed the blood dripping from his hand.  
  


"Holy shit!"  He murmured.  There was so much blood dripping from his hand that he doubted he would continue to live it kept flowing.  'That might not be such a bad idea" he though cynically to himself.  But really, after he had been responsible for so many deaths – Cedric, his parents, Colin and his parents – was it really worth it to keep on living?  He would just cause more deaths.  Plus, he really was a great burden on the Dursleys.  They didn't ask for him, nobody did.  He was a curse that ruined everyone's lives.  Maybe it would be better if he just finished himself off.

            He slowly opened his hand and was amused to see three of the broken pieces from his glasses embedded into his hand.  He smiled slightly as a thought came to his head.  He reached down and pulled out the largest piece, ignoring the two other, slightly smaller shards and turned his hand over, exposing his white, unmarred wrist.  

            He dragged the ragged edge slightly over his wrist, enjoying the slight splitting sensation as a thin line of blood appeared, straight as ruler.  He began to drag it in a swirling motion creating flowing patterns of thin red lines.  He had continued on in this fashion for nearly five minutes when he stopped to look at his "artwork."  Both the patterns and the pain had a strangely calming effect on him, and before he knew what was happening, he was drifting off into a not-so-dreamless sleep.

***

"Pickled gumdrops" Severus muttered into the gargoyle wishing, not for the first time, that the headmaster could be a little less strange.  The statue moved aside allowing him entry and he took the moving, circular stairs two at a time, not an easy task I assure you, but today Severus was too happy to do anything less.  Do you know how long he had been waiting for something like this to happen?  Very long, that's how long.  The door to the Headmaster's office opened of its own accord and Severus bolted inside, using his wand to close the door after him.

"Hello Severus!"  Dumbledore smiled warmly and looked behind Snape clearly expecting Harry to walk in after him.  A look of surprise and confusion crossed Albus's face when he saw nothing but the closed door behind Snape, and if anything could have improved Severus's mood, it was this.  It was not every day that a normal wizard like him surprised the headmaster, and he was going to make the most of it.

"Something wrong Albus?"  Albus looked to him, then door, then back again.  He did this quite a few times before he answered with a simple, palpable question.

"Where's Harry?"  Snape smiled slightly and he felt it contort his face into a strange position that seemed (and looked) very unnatural, he stopped quickly.

"Oh yes! The boy, I had completely forgotten!" 'Not' Snape added to himself, "Potter has decided not to return to Hogwarts."  He said matter-of-factly.  Severus would have paid money to see the look that was on Dumbledore's face, and that fact that he had caused it was almost too much to bear.  It was a look a sheer astonishment, with a hint of depression and despair mixed in.  Albus sighed.

"Do you have any idea what caused him to make this sudden decision Severus?"  'Oh well that's no fun' Severus sighed to himself, 'he can't even humor me by staying surprised, oh well, it was fun while it lasted.'

"Actually sir, I have no idea.  He sounded pretty desperate though, so I was kind enough to let him stay."  Albus stared off into space for a few moments, contemplating the workings of the young child's mind.  He returned his attention back to Severus.  

"I had really hoped that this would not happen."  Dumbledore's shoulders sagged, giving the usually vivacious man a very old and tired appearance.  "I fear that the reason he does not want to return is because of the third task and Cedric's death."  Severus paled visibly (a/n - yes I know that is hard for Severus to pale further, but still . . .) he hadn't even thought about that.  He had of course, being on the staff, known what had happened when Potter was transported into the graveyard, but he had completely forgotten about the Potter element in the resurrection of Voldermort.  If Dumbledore knew what Severus was thinking about he tastefully ignored it and continued.  "I think it would be best if we give Harry some time to recover.  Maybe after a couple of months he will feel more like returning."  Severus nodded.  "We will of course" Albus added, "Keep the protection up around Privet Drive, number four in particular."  Severus nodded again.  "We wouldn't want him to get taken by Voldermort now would we?"  

            Severus smiled politely at the headmasters attempt to lighten the mood, but he, in general, did not feel much better.  In fact, he kind of felt like killing something, a young Gryffindor something, but then again, Potter usually had that effect on him.  "Yes, I think it would be better if we just let him alone for a bit, he wouldn't enjoy it if we kept popping in every once and a while, yes, no contact for a bit, that should be just the trick."  The headmaster was talking more to himself now than to Severus, but in a few moments he looked up, muttered, "Thank you Severus" and went back to the document, the blank document he had been reading before Severus had arrived.  Snape shook his head as walked out of the Headmaster's office.  This was going to be a very promising couple of months.


	5. New News

            Harry tossed painfully in his sleep, his subconscious slowly driving him mad with guilt.  He kept reminding himself that despite the pain that the beatings uncle Vernon gave him resulted in, he deserved every last injury he got.  He was a menace to society.  People would be so much safer without him there.  Everyone he had ever known had been worse off in life because of him.  The Dursleys for one, because he disrupted what would normally be a very good life for them, turning it sour and nasty, ruining their perfect normality with his horrid freakishness.  The Weasleys for another, he always kept Ron from his family at Christmas.  Fred and George had to give up the marauders map because of him.  Ginny was taken into the chamber of secrets, so that Tom could come alive and kill him, and she almost lost her life because of it.  Then there was poor Mrs. Weasley.  She never got a moments rest because of Harry.  She was always worrying about him for some reason or another, and then Harry had to go and make it worse by giving the twins all that money.  Now, with all the explosion, and random outburst of magic, the burrow would always be full of trauma and stress, and it was all Harry's fault.

            Harry continued on in that sort of fashion for a while, even getting down to the little things like making the dance miserable for Parvati last year.  He was about to continue when outside he heard a car screeching into the driveway full speed, a car door opening and then closing loudly and the front door, being thrown open so forcefully that it left a huge hole from the doorknob in the wall parallel to it.  "Where is that boy!"  Uncle Vernon's angered shout sounded throughout the house.  "Oh, he's in the closet dear."  Petunia replied breezily from the kitchen, "oh yes," she continued, "and when you are finished with him, tell him to come in here and make breakfast for us, it was terribly traumatic having to make breakfast this morning, nearly got burned, so do try not to knock him unconscious.  Vernon made an equivocal grunt and headed angrily towards the closet under the stairs. 

            Vernon kicked the door so hard that it flew off its hinges, knocking Harry, who was busy standing up, into the wall opposite wall.  Vernon saw Harry lying at the base of one of the walls and was enraged.  "You're awake!  What are you doing just sitting here while my hardworking wife is doing your chores?"  Harry just raised his eyes towards his enraged uncle without moving his head, lowered his eyes again and sighed, defeated.  If he was going to get punished for things he did do, why not get punished for things he didn't do too!  It was all the same to him, just another bruise, one more injury, plus, if it helped relieve his uncle's stress . . . a touch of sarcasm was evident in his thoughts, but Vernon was aware of that as he quickly grabbed Harry by the front of his shirt and dragged him into the hallway.  It was just too hard to beat him efficiently while he was in the closet, not enough space.

            Vernon pounded on and abused Harry for the normal amount of time, leaving him just hurt enough that every movement was painful, but not hurt enough that he could not move, it was a very minor difference, but Vernon had mastered it.  Harry stood up and went into the kitchen.  He was moving slowly, but with a not-so-little shove from Vernon he was in the kitchen in no time.  He made both lunch and dinner that day.  Getting another bedtime beating, assuring his restful (not) sleep so he would be up bright and early, ready to make breakfast for the family.

            The days continued in this fashion  for some time, Harry hadn't actually realized how long until one day, after Vernon had had a little fun with him before breakfast (you know, hitting someone with a stick really can be quite stress-relieving, so can banging your head on a wall, but to each there own) Harry was walking into the kitchen ready to prepare another  meal, when he glanced at the calendar Petunia had recently put up.  The days that had already passed were crossed out with identical red x's, and Harry was surprise to find that it was almost October, he had nearly been here a month longer than he was supposed to.  He just shook his head.  He really didn't blame the Hogwarts professors for not wanting him there.  He hand an unlucky tendency to attract Voldermort wherever he went.  Why would the teachers want a student there who would bring the most feared wizard in over a hundred years to Hogwarts?  They wouldn't.  Harry forgot all about the date, made breakfast as usual, and the rest of the day continued on as usual until Vernon came home.  Harry had seen him mad before, but never like this.

            Vernon could barely breathe.  He was sputtering rather than saying anything coherent, and his face was a bright magenta, whether that was from anger or lack of breathing, Harry didn't know, but all in all, he regretted tonight's usual beating severely.  "Why don't you go welcome your uncle home Harry."  Petunia suggested maliciously, "He looks like he has a hard day, it might improve his mood."  Harry, well aware of what was actually going to improve his uncle's mood when he found him standing by the door, went anyways, resigned to the fact that he was going to get beaten anyways.

            Harry went to go open the door but it slammed into him, sending him staggering back before he could reach the door handle.  His uncle saw Harry stumbling backwards and was outraged, "why do I always find you messing around instead of doing something helpful?"  He backhanded Harry across the face, "I think tonight might just be your last lesson boy!"  His uncle shoved Harry into the wall, taking time to put down his briefcase on the bottom stair before continuing.  He walked over to the crumpled Harry and kicked him savagely in the ribs.  Another audible snap rang throughout the house.  Vernon didn't care; he continued to beat Harry, much longer and far more ruthlessly than usual.  When he was done nearly thirty minutes later, Harry could barely keep his eyes open on account of the pain, but He didn't have to worry.  Vernon opened the front door, grabbed Harry by the neck.  He didn't need to be worried about being seen as it was dark out, so Harry juts relaxed, knowing that whatever his uncle was going to do to him, it would probably be the last thing he did.  Vernon tossed him into the backseat of the car and nearly ran into the house with glee.  He got the keys to the car and jumped in.  

            Harry didn't know where he was until Vernon the engine of the car roared.  A million thoughts could have run through Harry's mind right now, but only one, odd thought, I hope I don't bleed on Vernon's seat, he'll kill me.  Harry chuckled softly at the statement.  He was probably going to kill him anyways.  So he just sat quietly in the back as Vernon drove off into the night. 

            Harry was about to fall asleep when Vernon stopped the car so suddenly that Harry was thrown f or the back seat into Vernon's and then onto the floor.  He fumbled slightly trying to get up, but the side door opened and Vernon grabbed him roughly stopping his attempt immediately.  "Oh yes boy," Uncle Vernon smiled in a very deranged manner, "this is gonna be the last time you bother me and my family again."  With that he dragged Harry roughly from the car, depositing him in the street corner.  "You probably won't even make it through the night, but I took care of you for fifteen miserable years, I don't need to worry about you anymore.  Good luck finding food."  He chuckled evilly and got into the car, blazing down the street and off into the night.  Harry knew that he should probably get off the street and into some sort of cover, but he couldn't bring himself to care.  After a few shivering moments Harry fell asleep, the cold October wind whipping through his shredded clothing.


	6. Not So Safe

Harry lay curled up on the deserted street corner, his ragged oversized clothing wrapped tightly around his body in a futile attempt to keep warm.  A slight breeze lifted the hair off his forehead for a split second as a stranger walked by, but that was enough.

"Harry?"  A small girl inched closer to the broken body, "Harry, is that you?"  Harry stirred slightly, his opening briefly before squinting shut again because of the bright white light.  A small moan escaped his lips.  He was so soar from his bruised and battered body having to spend the night tensed up on the cold sidewalk.  The voice spoke again and this time he was able to open his eyes slightly and concentrate on the person standing in front of him.

            She was a girl of average height, maybe a little on the short side.  Her mousy brown hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail.  Her dark eyes focused fixedly on Harry's face.  He couldn't tell much more about her in the early morning light, but the one thing that left a lasting impression on his mind was the expression on her face, concern.  He could vaguely remember her face, but he couldn't put a name to it.  He tried to ask who she was, but all he could manage was a very gruff, "who?"  Luckily the girl understood.

"Harry, it's Solenne," she knelt down beside him, "Do you remember me?  I went to your school.  We haven't heard from you in a long time."  The memories were beginning to come back now.  She had been the quiet girl in his class.  The one who was dressed almost as poorly as he was, which, Harry thought to himself, would probably explain her being in this neighborhood.  Solenne was now turning Harry over slowly, so that his stomach was facing up, she gasped at his condition when the light hit his face.  "Harry!  Oh my god, are you ok?  What happened?"  She listened for a moment to his incoherent mutterings and decided to take action.  She pulled slightly on injured arm so that s he could help him up, but that just seemed to cause him more pain.  He winced as he tucked his arm protectively into his chest.

            Solenne made a few more ineffective attempts to get him up, but she just couldn't do it alone.  "Come on Harry," she begged, "I can't help you when you are out here on the street.  You need to get up so I can bring you back to my house."  She didn't know if he had heard her because he lay still for a few moments.  She was about to ask him again when he began to slowly stand up.  His bones creaked and groaned under his minute body weight.  It felt as though he hadn't moved in ages.  He bit the inside of his cheek when he had to put pressure on his broken femur.

            She led him carefully down the street.  She could sense Harry tiring after a few blocks and encouraged him to continue.  "Don't worry Harry; it's only one more block."  "That's right; just ease yourself up those stairs.  I'll get you a drink once we're inside."  She guided him into the living room and lay him down on the couch.  She hurried into the kitchen to get him a glass of water.  When she retuned he was laying peacefully on the couch, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.  Shaking her head sadly she made her way back into the living room.  Harry looked so feeble and frail lying there on the couch.  She quickly handed him the glass and started fussing over him when he tried to sit up.  "Oh Harry, you really should stay lying down.  It might be better for you."  Harry smirked at her Mrs. Weasley like actions.  "Yes ma'am" he mumbled hoarsely, the humor still evident in his voice.  Solenne scowled at him and rolled her eyes.  He finished the rest of glass in one gulp and was about to speak again when he started to have a huge coughing fit.  Solenne began to rub his back sympathetically, but he just recoiled away again.  "Sorry," he apologized, his voice still a little dry but getting better as he spoke, "My back hurts a little bit."  Solenne nodded understandingly and brought her back down to her lap.  She gasped at the sight of it.  The palm of her hand was a bright crimson.  "Harry!"  She remarked, shocked at the state of her hand.  He flushed embarrassedly and mumbled something unintelligible.  Her hand was forgotten momentarily at Harry's strange reaction to her outburst.  "Harry," she asked softly, concern evident in her voice, "what happened?"  He mouthed wordlessly for a few moments before starting, "Well I, err, well, um, it's just that, well, it was nothing" he finished flustered.  "Harry," she responded condescendingly, "I need to know what happened if you want me to help."  He sighed resignedly and there was a moment of silence before he took a deep breath.  She settled back expecting a long dialogue, and was surprised when he only said two words, "My uncle."  She stared at him confusedly for a second until the meaning of his words sank in.  Harry lived with his relatives; she cringed at the memories of Dudley.  They had done this to him.  "Oh Harry," she began, but eh interrupted her, "no don't, I deserved it.  I am such a bother to them, ruining their reputation, eating there food," she snorted at this one because it looked as though he hadn't eaten in months, "and," he added as an afterthought, "I have murdered seven nearly eight people."  Her eyes widened as she jumped off the couch.  "You've what?"  She asked shakily as she backed away from the couch.  His face saddened at the memories, "I haven't actually murdered them, I've just been the cause of it.  First there were my parents, they died saving me.  Then there was my friend Cedric, he died because he followed me into the wrong place at the wrong time, and finally there was the Creevey family.  They were murdered because their son, Colin, might have known my whereabouts."  The room was filled with a disheartened silence and Solenne couldn't help but become unafraid as her gaze landed in his dejected, mournful face.  "Oh Harry," she sighed, her voice expressing a mere fraction of the misery he was feeling, "I am sure that you did not cause those murders."  Harry just shook his head, "You don't know though, I did, it was all my fault."  Solenne was speechless at his passion.  She knew no words that would comfort him so she just sat back down on the couch for a few minutes until she remembered what she had brought him back to her house for.  "Harry," she startled him out of his reverie, "We need to get those injuries of yours taken care of.  Here, I can't clean them properly like this, take your shirt off."  He hesitated slightly, but the look she gave him convinced him to continue.

            She could see the ache and pain in every one of his movements, and at the rate he was going it took him nearly two minute sot get his tattered shirt off.  Solenne was horrified at the sight of him.  His ribs with sticking so impossibly far out and his skin was stretched so tightly over them that she could actually see the cracks where six of his ribs were broken.  She couldn't tell if he had any other internal injuries, but his skin was so covered in bruises and cuts that there was hardly a patch of normal skin.  She wasn't going to ask him to take off his pants but she could already see several maladies on the lower half of his body.  His ankle was horribly discolored and swollen and he had as many if not more lacerations on his legs than on his upper body.  She cringed to see what his back looked like.  She knew from experience that it was the primary target in a beating.  "Harry," she spoke softly, fearing the consequences of her request, "would you please lie down on your stomach."  He nodded, his face set in a grim expression.  He slowly lowered himself down face first onto the couch.  She closed her eyes as a single tear made its way down her cheek.  Not only was his back more cut and bruised than the rest of his body, but it looked as though there were burn marks as well.  Down on his lower back there was one huge gash that was surrounded by horribly discolored swollen skin.  The red cut was bleeding freely, and it was then that she remembered the blood on her hand.  "I'll be right back," she whispered as she slowly got up, being careful not to bump the couch.  She went in to the kitchen and turned on the hot water, horribly morbid thoughts filling her head as she mechanically washed her hands free of the blood.  Most of her thoughts were focused on the very little she knew about the Durselys.  Oh how terribly wrong she had been about them.  She had never much liked Dudley and his little gang, and the only time she had ever seen Vernon was when he had to pick Harry of early from school for climbing on the school roof.  He had grabbed Harry angrily by the hair and dragged him out of school.  She figured that he had just been interrupted while doing something important, or been in a bad mood or something.  Never in a million years would she have guessed that he acted that way towards Harry all the time.  She just sighed sadly and turned off the water.  She wiped her hand on the dish towel that was hanging of the cabinets under the sink, and made her way back into the living room.  "Harry?"  She called out in timid tones as she approached the couch.  She touched him slightly on the shoulder and he shied away, remaining once again immobile after that.  He turned his head sideways and she saw that his eyes were closed.  She allowed a small smile to grace her lips.  He needed the sleep.  She walked back into the kitchen and opened the fridge.  She wanted to prepare a sandwich for herself and him.  He would no doubt be famished when he woke up.  After that she sat down on one of her kitchen school with a mug of coffee and her book, she would be skipping school today.

            She sat there for a few hours, no sounds except for the occasional car driving by and Harry's constant labored breathing.  She was about to continue on  to the next chapter when she noticed that Harry had started breathing faster than before, she listened for a moment, but thought nothing of it, so she continued to read.  Her hand was just turning the page when a terrified scream rang through her house.  His tsuris was obvious is every second of the scream.  Her book flew to the floor and she fled into the living room.  Severely shaken, the scream still reverberating in her ears she made her way over to the couch where was sitting upright, his hands clutching his forehead.  "Solenne," he muttered, his voice hoarse as she approached, "you have to leave, now, get out of the house and start running.  Run towards that little shop about three blocks away."  He looked up, searching for some sign of comprehension on her face.  She was surprised to see a small trickle of blood carving a path down his face, its origin, that funny shaped scar on his forehead.  It took her a moment to come back to the present.  "Wait, what? Leave? Why?"  He was staring at her steadily and it was more than a little unnerving.  "Someone is coming, you have to leave now, grab a bag, shove some money and some clothes into it and start running."  His tone was so serious that she didn't think twice about how he knew what he knew; she just complied as quickly as she could with his orders.  She ran into her room grabbed a bag and shoved her wallet, her scrapbook, and some clothes into it, gave Harry a quick hug, and bolted out of the house.  She was about one block away from the store when a blood curdling shriek reached her from the direction of her house, without a second though she flipped around and headed towards Harry.

            Harry stood up shakily and walked slowly towards the front door.  He knew that they would be apparating a short distance away from there.  He limped heavily in the last few steps, and the past few hours of sleep he had gotten had done nothing but could his mind.  He heaved the front door open, having to unlock four or five locks in the process, and stepped into the afternoon air.  He stared at the blank space in front of him for a few seconds before five loud pops announced the arrival of several death eaters.  He dodged four of the five curses that were thrown at him immediately, but the fifth one, the cruciatis, hit its target dead on.  He endured the pain for a few minutes in silence before Lucius jumped on his broken leg, he couldn't help it.  He let out one loud cry of pain before succumbing to the silence once more.  After a few more minutes the other death eater lifted the curse and Harry lay on unmoving on the ground, still in the obviously contorted pose the curse had left him in.  He began to rise slowly; he was not going to take this lying down.  The death eaters laughed as he staggered to a standing position.  He raised his green eyes and they locked with the steely gray of the nearest person.  "Do not think you can win potter.  The Dark Lord will kill, and he will do it painfully.  Stretching your agony to its fullest extent and right before you snap, he will let the entire wizarding world know won.  He is going to project your pitiful image onto one of the walls in the great hall."  Lucius Malfoy was smirking sardonically and a bitter laugh escaped his lips.  He was still reveling in his triumph when Harry asked the one question he hadn't been expecting.  "Has he told all of his servants about this?"  Lucius stared blankly at him for a few seconds before spitting out his response, "Why of course!  It had been his plan for months, granted, your uncle beating you helped the plan along a bit."  He lauged again at the expression on Harry's face, oh yes, we know all about your uncle's drunken escapades, and soon everyone else will know too.  About how a mere muggle helped destroy the prodigy of the wizarding world."  Harry sighed resignedly, "ok, well as long as all the death eaters know."  He began to turn around but what he saw stopped him in his tracks.  Solenne was running as fast as she could through the kitchen and towards the front door.  Towards all of the death eaters.  He tried to stop her but it was too late.  Lucius's cool voice sounded behind him, "Oooh, and what do we have here?  A pretty little helpless muggle girl."  Harry cringed inwardly.  Didn't he tell her to run?  Why was she still here?  Solenne, not watching where she was going, ran out of the front door right into Lucius's outstretched hand.  He gripped her upper arm forcefully.  "Let's have some fun with you shall we?"  The sinister look on his face made the look of determination on her face turn to one of sheer fright.  "Imperio!" Lucius shouted, his wand directed at Harry.  Harry felt the blissful sensation fill his mind and he almost laughed at the death eaters' stupidity.  They obviously didn't know that he could fight off the Imperious curse quite easily.  He heard Lucius's voice in his head, commanding him to take the girl into the kitchen.  He complied immediately so as to make it appear real.  Solenne paled considerably as Harry's face went blank and he grabbed her arm.  She was so confused and alarmed.  Who were these people?  What was with the funny sticks?  How did Harry know them and what was Harry doing?  Harry started to lead her into the house on Lucius's command.  He walked into the kitchen and grabbed one of the knives out of the drawer.  Solenne shrieked and started to struggle.  She could hear the men in her front yard laughing at something, presumably her.  Harry began to whisper at her through the side of his mouth.  "Scream now!"  She hesitated, but with a reassuring squeeze from Harry she screamed.  "These people," he continued whispering, "are wizards, they can do magic, so can I.  Right now, they are think they are controlling my mind, but they are not, scream."  Solenne screamed, "When we outside, I am going to try and apparate us, scream, to a different part of town.  If that doesn't work, run as fast as you can, I can handle these people, scream, myself."  They had just reached the backyard and Harry faced Solenne towards him, taking both of her hands in his.  "I am going to try in, three, two, one."  Harry attempted to apparate.  He had read a few books about it during the school year, but he had always been too frightened of splinching himself to try, but at this moment, it was now or never.  Harry opened his eyes and found himself standing in the backyard, and Lucius racing towards him through the house, but Solenne was no where to be seen.  He hoped that she was somewhere safe because he was in big trouble.  He turned to face a furious Lucius.  "What are you doing!"  Lucius snarled at him, "you were supposed to me under the imperious!"  Harry just smirked at him, "I can block the imperious, I thought you evil gits would know that, guess not."  Harry knew he shouldn't have, but it was just so tempting.  Harry sighed as Lucius raised his wand, "Crucio!"  Harry was once again in excruciating pain, he managed to keep himself standing albeit unsteadily.  He bit his lip, he would not give them the pleasure of hearing him scream.  Lucius stopped, " and I thought you, you stupid boy, would now that you can't apparate while the imperious is on you, regardless of whether or not you can fight it off."  Harry just stood, steady now that the cruciatis was not being cast, and stared jadedly at Lucius.  Solenne was safe, that was all that mattered, and now he was willing at ready to accept the consequences of his stupidity.  Lucius continued, "but don't worry, we'll be taking you to a place where you cant apparate.  The wards at Voldermort's Manor are even stronger then they are at Hogwarts."  He sneered again before subjecting Harry to a few more unmemorable moments of the cruciatis curse.  After he had finished, he grabbed Harry by his dislocated shoulder and yanked him towards the group of death eaters, setting him down harshly on his snapped femur.  "Now," he scowled, "lets see what My lord wants to do to with you."  An eerie silence filled the backyard and if you listened hard enough you could still hear a several odd sounding pops.


	7. The Beginning Of Pain

Harry arrived in a small clearing that might have been quite pleasant had it not been filled with the scent of dread and blood.  Lucius shoved Harry's shoulder, forcing him to stagger forward a few steps, biting his tongue from the pressure it put on his leg and ribs, but he kept walking.  Even when he tripped, falling flat on his face,  causing his brittle bones to groan in protest, he kept walking, all the way until  they reached the front door of a dark, foreboding castle.   He was shoved into the arms of the nearest death eater when Lucius, after whispering the password, strode into Voldermort's manner looking like he owned the place.  Voldermort was going to be very pleased with him.

            Harry was prodded and agonized outside, as Lucius, inside, burst through the main door, smirking caustically.  "My lord!" He glowed, "we have the boy!  We have Harry Potter!" Voldermort grinned his snake like grin, "Very nice," he hissed, "bring him to me immediately."  Lucius turned around and started to walk away, "Oh Lucius?"  He stopped, "Yes my lord?"  "One more thing," and before Lucius had the time to react, his lord, had shot the Cruciatis at him, he stopped after a few seconds, "Never, barge into my room without your arrogance in check again."  Lucius, who had just barely gotten up of the ground, bowed respectfully, "never again my lord, of course, I'm sorry, please forgive me."  He turned and fled out of the hall.

            The front door of the manor opened and Lucius emerged breathing heavily.  He was smirking so evilly though, that Harry could barely tell.  "Come boy!"  He said, grabbing him roughly and dragging him into the house, "Its time to meet your fate!"  Harry was marched down a long corridor hat ended at two ornately carved doors.  Harry was amused to see that snakes appropriately topped the doors, coming down the middle of each door to meet at the door knob.  Lucius knocked promptly at the door, and the vitriolic voice that had filled Harry's nightmares and premonitions for a month answered, "Come in."  The door opened slowly of its own accord.  Harry's first impulse was to laugh, and as soon as the urge had come up, he had squelched it.  He was in deep enough shit as it is.  Voldermort was sitting regally on top of his throne, oh I'm sorry, I mean wooden chair, with all of his followers staring at him in a mix of fear and repulsion, there might have been some admiration in there, but Harry wasn't looking too hard.  People cleared a path of wide berth for him as he made his way up towards the chair, Lucius following pompously behind him.  As soon as they both had reached Voldermort, Harry stared apathetically around him as Lucius bowed low, kissing the hem of his master's robes.  The other death eaters that had helped in Harry's capture amalgamated silently with the rest of Voldermort's faceless servants.  "My lord," he said, stepping backwards to present Harry, "here is the boy."  He was smiling smugly, but instead of the pleased reaction he had expected, Voldermort was infuriated.  "I TOLD YOU NOT TO HARM THE BOY TOO SEVERLY LUCIUS!"  "But my lord-" Lucius started, "DO NOT INTERRUPT ME! CRUCIO!"  Lucius dropped to the ground, screaming in pain.  Harry started to snicker, but stopped suddenly when a small plump man stepped forward.  Peter kneeled, "May I speak my lord."  Voldermort nodded, "We found him like this sir.  We believe that his uncle did this to him."  Voldermort lifted his wand, leering, and Lucius lie panting on the ground.  "Is that so?"  His voice had now gone down to a low, deadly whisper, filled with a sick sort of enjoyment.  Harry was still standing there, staring at nothing in particular, and only those who knew him well would have seen the momentary flash of ignominy that passed through his eyes. "Hmmm, very interesting, go, you too Lucius, join the rest of the ranks, I have been waiting many years for this."  He grabbed Harry's face and shoved it towards him so that he was then staring into Voldermort's eyes.  "Well hello Mr. Potter, I would memorize this face, it's going to be the last one you ever see."  With that he shoved Harry sharply causing him to fall, his head hitting the ground with one quick thwack and a large jolt of pain, he was hoping to lose consciousness, but he was not that lucky.  Stars shot in front of his eyes, "Crucio!" Voldermort shouted.  All the while, Harry lie on the ground, silently curled in a ball,.  Voldermort was getting infuriated.  "Doleo!"  "Auctacerbus!" "Scissum Torus!"  He shot three dark magic pain spells, the last one that tears muscles, at Harry, but he just lie there, in considerable amounts of pain, bleeding, not moving, not speaking, not even moaning.  "Take him to the dungeons!"  The two closest death eaters grabbed Harry and dragged him down to the dungeons making sure to make his head hit each stair painfully as they went down.  The two death eaters locked the door of his cell with more spells than Harry had even heard of and Harry decided to get some sleep while he had the chance.

            Harry was woken up abruptly when a bucket of freezing water was dumped on his head.  He opened his eyes and was on his feet, in one painful movement, his arm outstretched towards the person who woke him, like it would be if he had a wand.  He regretted getting up immediately as his legs collapsed under him.  He fell sharply to his knees, and a jolt of pain shot up his leg from the broken femur.  Peter, whose wand was pointed at Harry's chest, started to laugh at him but the look Harry shot him shut him up immediately.  "Now d-don't you t-try anything f-funny mister, get up, Voldermort wants to see you!"  His attempted intimidation was lost at the stutters in his speech.  Harry just rolled his eyes and lie down, hoping to get a little more sleep.  Wormtail kicked him sharply on the back.  Harry glared at him and resumed his original position, his back facing Wormtail and the door.  Peter kicked him again and Harry didn't even respond this time.  Peter was getting angrier and angrier, he hated it when people ignored him.  He kicked Harry again and again, each kick getting fiercer.  He was about to kick the back of Harry's neck again when a hand was placed on his arm.  "Wormtail," the little man jumped at the contact, "I would appreciate it if you didn't torture my hostage."  Wormtail shuddered, "S-sorry master, I should not have, I-" "That's correct, you should not have," his voice was soft and sinister, "but don't worry, I will punish you later, for now just run along, I would like to be alone with Harry for a moment."  Wormtail scampered out of the dungeon tripping over his feet as he went.  Voldermort turned back to Harry.  He pushed Harry's back with his foot hard enough for Harry to roll until he was lying face up.  "Harry Harry Harry," Voldermort shook his head, "I thought you'd know by now that you need to show respect to all of my servants, even the lowliest of them."  Harry refrained from chuckling and settled on keeping his eyes closed.  "Look at me!" Voldermort snapped.  Harry opened his eyes resignedly and smirked, "Somebody's attention deprived."  Voldermort glared at Harry so furiously Harry thought for a moment that looks actually could kill.  "Crucio!"  Voldermort roared.  Harry felt a thousand needles piercing his skin, his muscles were on fire, and he felt as though he couldn't keep his mouth shut a moment longer.  Voldermort raised his wand.  "Harry, do you understand now why you can't win?  Everyone one you love will die, and as they lie there, with me standing over them, they will realize that they don't really love you, and that you were the one that brought this pain upon them, and then, they will join me, but it wont really matter, because by this time tomorrow I will make sure that you are dead."  "Threat or promise" Harry muttered under his breath, Voldermort glared but continued, "and by using the Progetimago spell, I will-"  "I know all this," Harry interrupted curtly, "and frankly, I don't want to listen to my death sentence again."  Voldermort just sneered, "The image will be projected for exactly and hour, you will be tortured for most of that, then, at the end, just as the picture is disappearing, I will kill you, and there will be nothing anyone can do about it.  you  will die just like your parents did, just like the spare did, just like so many have died before you, and just like many will die after you, because you are nothing special Harry Potter, and there is nothing you can do about it."  With that he kicked Harry viciously in the back and left before he could Harry mutter his faint reply, "I know."  He crawled over to the corner of the room and lie down  on his left side, putting his injured leg carefully on  the floor.  Clutching his dislocated arm protectively he fell into an unrestful sleep.

A/N – I just want to thank all of you who are taking the time to review, it really means a lot to me, and don't be afraid to be blunt, if it sucks, please tell me, I want to get better

Thanx

-Lizzie


	8. Problems

This is just a teeny tiny short little chapter, don't worry, I will have a longer one up as soon as I can J

            The feast was just finishing up and Ron and Hermione were glancing frantically around for any sign of their best friend.  "Where do you think he could be?"  Hermione whispered worriedly to Ron.  "Its not like him to miss the train, he loves Hogwarts."  "I know," Ron whispered back, "you don't suppose anything," he paused, "bad happened?"  Hermione cast a furtive glance around and spoke slowly, "I don't know, you think Dumbledore would have informed us if anything had happened to Harry, but," she added worriedly, "There hasn't been any news of Voldermort lately, and I started thinking that maybe he was planning something big. I dreadfully hope is has nothing to do with Harry though."  She spit out hurriedly with one glance at Ron's face.  "I mean, his uncle probably just didn't want to drive him to the station, we should go alert Dumbledore."  Ron and Hermione stood up and started to quickly make their way up to the head table, the rest of the student body had left, so the did not attract too much attention.  "Err, Headmaster, we were, errr, well we" Hermione interrupted him, "Harry didn't get on the train sir, and we were getting worried.  We were wondering if maybe," she looked down, suddenly apprehensive, "well if you could go send someone to check up on him sir.  The headmaster looked over the top of his spectacles gravely for a moment, "And he didn't owl any of you about not coming?"  Hermione and Ron shook their heads.  Dumbledore's eyes closed for a moment in thought, "Ok then, I will send someone to check up on him immediately."  "Thank you sir," Hermione smiled softly.  She and Ron then hurried out of the great hall and back to the Gryffindor Common room as Dumbledore turned and gave a meaningful look at Severus.

            Hermione and Ron were sitting worriedly on the couches in the common room, it had been a month since school started, and there was still no sign of Harry.  He hadn't even owled them.  They were starting to get quite concerned.  They remembered about a month ago, the day after the feast to be specific; they had been worried the whole train ride up, and then Harry hadn't shown up at the feast.  They had almost been annoyed at him, not showing up like that, but now . . .


	9. Nothing To Do

Ron and Hermione just sighed; they might as well head down to dinner.  They stepped out of the portrait hole and waved goodbye to the fat lady, receiving sympathetic glances from whoever they passed the entire way down to the great hall.  Everyone was extremely worried and felt horrible knowing that what they were feeling could only be a small portion of the anxiety and dread that his two best friends must be feeling.  They had just stepped into the entrance hall when their potions professor burst through the massive doors, his normally composed self was completely disheveled.  His hair flying out at odd angles behind him, his robes unbuttoned and partway off his shoulder.  "Dumbledore!"  He panted in the loudest voice he could muster, "I must speak with Dumbledore!"  His eyes did a quick glance around the entrance hall and he was about to sigh in exasperation at its emptiness when they landed on Ron and Hermione crouching in alarm by the stairs.  He quickly hurried over to them.  "Harry is in serious trouble," he spat in an urgent whisper, "Lord Voldermort has him.  I need to speak to Dumbledore immediately!"  It took a second for his words to sink in, but when they did Hermione's eyes widened in fear and surprise.  

"No!" she shouted in fright, "is he alright?"  Severus just stared at her in disbelief and such pity that for a moment Hermione wasn't sure he had heard her, but then Snape shook his head in much more sympathy than Hermione thought  he could ever generate for a Gryffindor.  "I will explain everything when we find Dumbled-" 

"Ah Severus," he was interrupted by the old mage himself, "you seem a little less composed than usual."  The twinkle that was ever-present disappeared as soon as he was informed of the reason as to why his potions master was not his usual self.  "Come to my office immediately, we will discuss this further there."

            The three discouraged wizards led Hermione, who was silently sobbing, past the gargoyle, and up the moving staircase into the headmaster's office.  Once inside, the three sat down in the chairs which had appeared specifically for there use, while the Albus sat down behind his desk, his hands clasped forebodingly.  Everyone sat in silence for a few moments before the headmaster shook himself out of his reverie.  He looked at the three of them with a newfound despair that was unusual for the normally pleased headmaster.  "What else do you know Severus?  We should have all for information before we try to devise a solution."  Snape sighed deeply.  No one was going to like the information he had to share.  

"When we found Harry . . ." It took nearly thirty minutes but when he was done everybody sat in shocked silence.  Hermione was sitting there, too shocked and scared to be crying.  Ron's face was far paler than, Severus believed, his had ever been in his lifetime.  Dumbledore exhaled deeply and leaned back in his chair rubbing his eyes tiredly.  

"First things first, I fear that the students will be required to watch this horrible display.  This spell can not be lifted unless the caster himself breaks it, and if none of the students show up Voldermort will know that there is a spy.  Also, I do not know what we can do to help Harry.  The span of time between now and the showing is just to short, I will do as much as I can tomorrow, but I doubt it will help much, I am truly sorry.  The aurors will of course be sent out, but as we do not know where Voldermort is at the moment, they will not be of much help.  Dumbledore looked up into the two horrified faces of Ron and Hermione, "But I wouldn't worry too much.  Harry is a strong boy, he will make it.  He has a way of getting the better of Voldermort and escaping.  I am sure that this time will be no exception."  The two just nodded unbelievingly, Dumbledore continued, "I would go and get a small dinner.  You guys need some rest, I will make sure that you are excused from classes tomorrow, don't worry about the homework either.  But please remember not to mention this to anyone; we do not know who at this school is in direct contact with death eaters."  Both Hermione and Ron knew immediately that their headmaster was referring to Draco Malfoy and a few other dangerous Slytherins.  "You may leave now."  Both of them nodded gravely and stood up, their chairs disappearing as they did so.  They were almost out of the door when Dumbledore spoke again, "oh yes, and congratulations on making prefect Ms. Granger, I am sure Harry will be able to join you in no time."  Hermione gave him a weak smile and continued with Ron down to the great hall, though they both knew that they wouldn't be eating much anyways.

            Dumbledore turned to Severus, "Ah yes, now I didn't want to speak of this in front of the children, but exactly how grave is Harry's condition?"  Snape grimaced apologetically at the headmaster and answered at first, with just one word, 

"Bad."  Dumbledore sighed again.  Never in his life had he met a kid who had had to go through so much pain, both mental and physical, as Harry.  Snape elaborated as soon as t was obvious that the headmaster was going to say no more, "I think the boy may not make it.  He seems to have given up.  He isn't fighting back, and when he is tortured," Dumbledore closed his eyes briefly in unhappiness, "he just lies there, not even making noises of discomfort.  Even when Voldermort uses curses like 'Scissum Torus', the one that tears your muscles, he doesn't move.  I think it may be futile to even try and rescue him.  The aurors wouldn't be able to do it without the boys help and I don't even know if he can stand up, let alone if he wants to."  Dumbledore just nodded acceptingly, 

"I will do what I can.  You might as well go eat something.  Tomorrow is going to be a trying one for all of us."  Severus stood up to leave, giving Albus one more apologetic glance before making his way out of the office and into the dungeons.

            Hermione and Ron sat quietly at the Gryffindor table.  Most of the other students kept on giving them sideways glances, but they didn't notice.  The two teens had been quite depressed before this, but now . . . they seemed even more sullen than ever before.  Hermione nibbled absentmindedly on a piece of bread while Ron stared blankly at his plate.  They sat there throughout most of dinner, barely eating anything, and when it came to an end, they both stood up and made their way back up to Gryffindor tower.  They sat down on the couch, now shifting their gazes from the floor to the fire.  They stayed that way for many hours until they both drifted off into a stress induced sleep, leaning on each other for support.  It was a support that they both would need, now more than ever.


	10. Almost There

Harry lay on the icy dungeon floor, his sleep plagued with nightmares and his conscious driving him insane with guilt.

***  dream ***

            He was in a dark, frightening forest filled with the eerie sounds of a cozeness wind sweeping through the trees.  He could fell his heart begin to beat at an alarming rate, a sign that an unknown danger would soon be upon him.  The tension of the moment filled him until he could hold no more, and when it was about to take control, a warm comforting hand was placed on his shoulder.  He turned quickly startled, backing away on horror at the sight that met his eyes.

            There stood his mother, her useless skin hanging off her as if its weight had exceeded itself.  Almost as though her body was burning from the inside out, her skin becoming too profuse, melting dripping, falling off her blood wet bones. Sections of muscles and tendons were visible through the stretches of skin that was bleeding heavily.  Her eyes, far too big for her flaccid face, were staring at him in such hatred that Harry backed away further. His hands reached out for some unseen sanctuary behind him. She stumbled wobbly towards him.  She was unsteady on her feet as though she had not walked in quite some time.

"You," her rotting hand rose, trembling and tremorous towards him, "You did this to me."  Her voice rasped, filling the evening air with a horrible hatred.  Harry shook his head unsteadily.  Her skin was starting to darken, turning black and crumbling.  She stumbled once more towards him, causing her decaying skin to peel off her like a snake shedding its skin, only to find it has no more left.  

            Her muscles underneath were a putrid, rotting green interwoven with bleeding black veins creating a messy tapestry of death and disgust.  Harry staggered backwards, away from his moldering mother.  His back hit something warm and wet.  He saw blood dripping down his hands.  His father was standing behind him, his state the same his wife's.  his dad said nothing, only stared at him with the same hatred that was present in his mothers eyes.

"I, I, no! I didn't, no!" Harry managed to choke out as his parents advanced upon him.  He crumpled to the ground, shaking his head in a dreaded denial.  "I, I d-didn't mean to," he sobbed, the bodies just continued unflinchingly forward, "I-, I'm-"  but his words were cut off when he was brought out of his nightmare when bitter foot shot out and hit the side of his face.

*** end dream***

            Harry sat up suddenly, a wand surprising him by appearing right between his eyes.  He was still addled by his dream, but less so than he might have been a year ago, he was getting much better at being aware of his surroundings at all times.  Lucius Malfoy's menacing voice broke the damp stillness of the dungeon.  

"I was sent to bring you up to the dark lord.  He gave me permission to punish you if you gave me any trouble."  He smirked evilly down at Harry, causing him to look up at Lucius in his most unimpressed manner. 

"Good, I am happy for you, truly.  Just wake me up if you actually have something for me to hear that might be worth my time.  He snorted in obvious incredulity.  Lucius just glared at him again as Harry made an attempt to go back to sleep.  He was going to die today, and he didn't want to meet his parents looking like shit.  He allowed a small smile to grace his lips at the thought of his parents.  Lucius became enraged.

"Don't you smirk at me you little brat!  Crucio!"  Harry felt the pain storm through him, but he just lie there.  He deserved everything he got.  There was no use striving to rectify a lost cause.  Malfoy got more and more incensed at every moment that there was a lack of reaction from Harry, and Harry paid dearly for it.  Lucius spent the next half an hour torturing Harry in new, experimental muggle ways.  "A way even low enough for you," as Lucius put it between the burning rod and the whips, and when he was finished, Harry looked broken.  You could hardly see a patch of skin that wasn't bruised or bleeding.  Harry smiled to himself.  Just a few more hours and it would be all over, just a few more hours.

            Upstairs Voldermort was busy planning for his returning debut into the Wizarding world.  Everything was going as planned.  Severus was going to cast the spell in Hogwarts at exactly 6:30 when it would be sure that everyone would be in the great hall eating dinner.  He was extremely pleased with his letters to the ministry of magic from Dumbledore, inviting them to dinner, not many people would have been able to forge Albus Dumbledore's signature so accurately.  He smiled to himself; this was going to be a very grand debut indeed.


	11. Odd Happenings

The early morning sunlight filtered through the Gryffindor red curtain, leaving the room in a sort of bloody haze.  Ron's eye lids fluttered open.  He was disoriented for a moment before his gaze settled on a thick mass of soft auburn curls situated on his shoulder.  With that, his thoughts drifted to the foreboding evening that was to come sooner than he could bear (bare? My thing marked it as wrong).  He sighed softly, unintentionally waking Hermione.  He wished there was something he could do, but there just wasn't enough time.

"Ron?" Hermione murmured sleepily.

"Yes?"  He replied, torking his neck a bit to be able to gaze down at the top of her head.  

"Ok," she snuggled a bit closer into his shoulder, "just making sure it was you."  They were about to drift off to sleep again when two loud startling thwacks were heard behind them.  Both Ron and Hermione jumped several feet in the air, landing completely entangled, Hermione slightly on top of Ron.  They flipped there heads rapidly around and there gaze fell on Fred and George, smiling devilishly, each with a closed book perpendicular to the ground in their hands.

"Fred!" "George!" Hermione and Ron screamed together.  The twins just chuckled, 

"Sorry to interrupt you little love-fest," Fred replied, his eyebrow wiggling provocatively.  Hermione just rolled her eyes and hurriedly got off Ron.  

"Honestly you two, we were just thinking and fell asleep."  Fred and George sobered immediately knowing exactly what the two had been thinking about.  Hermione gave them an apologetic smile; she hadn't wanted to dampen their spirits.  It had just slipped out.  There was a mournful silence for a moment before George spoke,

"Well, since you two are already dressed; want to head down to breakfast with us?"  Both on the couch nodded, standing up slowly, neither bothering to make themselves more presentable.  They knew they would have to face a terrible ordeal later, and knowing what Harry was going to have to go through, made matters like your appearance seem unbearably trivial.

            Down in the great hall, Hermione kept catching Snape's eyes and then looking away quickly.  However, that did not stop most of the other Gryffindors from noticing.  

"Hermione," Parvati started cautiously, "is something the matter?"  Hermione looked away from the head table confusedly, 

"What?" she had a skeptical look on her face and Parvati blushed.

"Well, it's just that," she looked down at her plate again before looking back up, "it's just that you keep catching Professor Snape's eye, and well, that's not exactly commonplace is it?"  Now it was Hermione's turn to blush.  She closed her eyes briefly in Paravti's unknowing reference to Harry.  This caused Lavender, who was sitting next to Hermione, and Parvati to exchange confused glances.

"Hermione?"  Now they were worried for a different reason.  She had been acting so strange lately.  Especially last night, and then she hadn't come up to her dormitory . . .  Hermione didn't answer.  She seemed lost in thought.  "Hermione?"  Hermione snapped out of her reverie, shaking her head slightly to clear it of its previous thoughts.  

"Yes?"  But the bell signaling the start of classes rang and Hermione rushed out of the hall, muttering something about getting her book bag that only Ron caught, before the two girls could answer.

            Ron shouted the password to the Fat Lady and before she could close completely she started to lecture him on being in class, but he was already rushing up the stairs to the 5th year girls dormitory (I know that can't happen, but uh yeah, it can nowJ).  He was really worried about Hermione and how she was taking the news about Harry.  However, his worry hardened eyes softened when he saw her crying on the side of her bed, her knees resting on the floor and her head buried in her arms.  Ron came up to kneel next to her.

"Oh Hermione," she looked up at the disheartened voice, "please don't cry."  She tried to smile tearfully up at him, barely managing a little laugh at the expression on his face.  He gave her a small hug and a reassuring smile.  Ron was encouraged by the small bit of happiness she had just displayed, it had become so rare these days.  They sat there, comforting each other for a while until they were surprised when the clock chimed 9:00 (lets say that classes start at 8:30 ok?)  

"Oh dear!" Hermione gasped, "We are thirty minutes late for potions!"  They jumped up, grabbing their book bags as they raced down the stairs and out of the common room.  

            They turned into the corridor that Snape's classroom was in two minutes later looking quite windswept.  They threw the door open in their haste and only then realized it might have been smarter to try and sneak in.  Ron flinched at their professor's harsh gaze as Hermione tried to explain.  "We are so sorry we are late profess-" but Snape cut her off.

"Sit down; you will both see me after class and 25 points from Gryffindor for your inability to act considerately towards your classmates who can apparently not learn without your disturbance."  He looked furious and they both sat down without further ado, starting straight away on their potion.  They only hoped they could finish it before class was over so that Snape would not have another reason to be angry.

            Class finished and Hermione and Ron surprisingly had a vile to turn in.  Their potion was not exactly the shade of blue a dreamless sleep potion was supposed to be, but it would probably work anyways.  They returned to their seat to clean up their bags as the rest of the students left, most of the Gryffindors giving them apologetic glances on the way out.  Finally the classroom was empty save the three and the two students walked timidly towards Snape's desk.  He surprised them though, "50 points to Gryffindor for having to go through such a terrible ordeal."  They just gaped at their professor.  "I am sorry I was so harsh on you today in class, but some of these students correspond frequently with their death eater parents, and it would not be a good idea for any of Voldermort's supporters to know that I was being less than awful to any of Harry Potter's friends."  It was a sign as to how detached the two of them were that Ron didn't even flinch at the sound of Voldermort's name.  Hermione nodded in sudden understanding, 

"We understand, we are sorry we caused you that inconvenience."  Snape shrugged, a very odd gesture for their cold hearted potions master, 

"You couldn't have been thinking about that with what's been on your mind."  Both students just stared unblinkingly forward, at a loss for what to say, so he continued.  "I would feel it acceptable," he began hesitantly, "if you two wanted to skip dinner tonight."  Ron immediately started shaking his head.

"No, no, we definitely want to come.  We need to be there, to support Harry.  Even if he doesn't know we're there, we need to know that we did the most that we could, even if it is a sad, pathetic attempt to do something."  Snape nodded,

"That is very noble of you both.  If Harry survives, I am sure he will appreciate it."  Ron and Hermione turned to leave, "but just remember, the choice is yours."  The students turned back one last time and locked eyes with their professor, a silent acknowledgement and deferral of what he was saying.  Then they turned and made their way to classes, Ron to Divination, Hermione to Arithmacy.


	12. When Things Are Awful

A/N  I am so sorry guys.  I know that this has taken forever, but I actually have a good excuse!  Ff.net wouldn't let me log onto my account, I couldn't even review for stories, so I was unable to update like I normally would (unfortunately that is not all that frequently either) but for your troubles, I am going to update a lot. . . if I get more reviews, truthfully, I don't even mind flames, just please try to make it constructive. Thanx! -Lizzie

Ron ascended the step ladder into Trelawney's high hell.  The room seemed unbearably smoky, but Ron still took his usual seat next to the window which he opened slightly, allowing a cool breeze to blow lightly over his face.  His calm only lasted a few moments though as Professor Trelawney made her usual entrance, creeping out from the shadows, but this time she came up right behind Ron, who had his eyes closed, and whispered right next to his ear, 

"I'm sorry."  But naturally she said it loud enough that not only did Ron jump out of his chair (causing quite a few males to chuckle), but loud enough so that the table next to his,  where Parvati Lavender were seated, could here what their beloved 'seer' said.  Both girls paled visibly and started whispering amongst themselves.  Ron groaned.  Trelawney was probably going to predict Harry's death again, not knowing how close to the truth this one might come.  Ron didn't know if he could handle it today, not with dinner weighing so heavily on his mind.  Just as he'd expected, she started on Harry, "Oh dear Ron, I do fear that young Harry is in mortal peril again.  It is so near now.  I can feel it creeping up on him like a snake in the grass, like a-"

"Oh will you shut up!"  Ron interrupted rudely, "I have had it up to here," Ron brought his had across the middle of his face just below his eyes, "with all of your talent-less bullshit.  You have been predicting Harry's death for years, but obviously it's bound to happen sometime with that bloody prat Voldermort after him constantly!"  Ron was panting heavily, "well guess what, Harry is going to die sometime, but unlike you, I do not tend to go about bragging that I know of it, I plan to actually try and help him when the time comes, not just sit back and tell him his efforts are worthless.  You can just shut your bloody, bluffing, bull-shitting mouth and try for once not to corrupt our minds with your ridiculous idiocy."  With that Ron stood up marched over to the trap-door kicking it open and just jumped down the hole, not bothering with the ladder.  Seamus and Dean rushed over and looked down to see him stand up from a crouch and storm off down the hall, muttering obscenities as he went.

            Ron wandered around for the rest of the hour until at about lunch time, he found himself in front of the great hall.  His stomach grumbled and he realized he had eaten hardly anything in days, it was no wonder that he had unconsciously wandered here.  It was too bad that he didn't really feel like eating with the rest of the students.  He was about to turn around and head for the kitchens when a hand touched his arm lightly.  It was Hermione.

"Would you like to come eat lunch with me?"  He looked around hesitantly for a second before reluctantly consenting.  He might as well face the teachers and the students sooner rather than later.  She noticed his hesitance and gave him a questioning look.  He quickly told her the story as they walked down the isle between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.  When they took their seats and Ron had finished his story Hermione was smiling broadly.

"Hermione!"  Ron chastised, looking falsely scandalized.  Hermione just giggled,

"Oooh, I would have loved to see our dear Sybil's face.  She has needed to here a talk like that for a long time now."  This time it was Ron's turn to smile.  Hermione always knew what to say and what to do to cheer him up.  Ron let out a little chuckle which caused Hermione to start giggling again.  This caused Ron to laugh even harder and in a matter of minutes both teens were laughing hysterically.  People all over the great hall were giving them confused, skeptical, and questioning looks.  This just caused them to laugh even harder. 

            When the Headmaster and Snape walked into the great hall, both Ron and Hermione were on the floor laughing so hard tears were coming out of their eyes, clutching their stomachs in the nearly foreign strain.  Dumbledore stopped right behind the two of them just as they were starting to calm down.

"May I enquire as to why the two of you were laughing in that manner?"  But that proved to be an awful idea, because as soon as Ron and Hermione caught each others glances, they burst out laughing again, barely managing to choke out a nearly unrecognizable "nothing."  Dumbledore just shook his head and he and Severus turned and walked up to the head table.

            Soon, though, Hermione was laughing so hard she had tears streaming down her face and before Ron could even blink, she was no longer laughing, but crying uncontrollably.  Ron hurriedly picked her up, and carried her, bawling into his chest, out of the great hall.

"Like I said," Parvati whispered to Lavender behind her hand, "Completely insane."  Lavender nodded knowingly and they both turned back to their lunches.

            Outside the great hall, in one of the adjoining hallways, Hermione sat encircled in Ron's arms on the stone floor.  Ron was trying to calm her down by whispering encouraging words in her ear, but the tears looked as though they would never stop.  The tears did eventually dry, but neither moved from the comforting position.  They remained in their current state until after the lunch hour had ended.  This earned them several odd glances from passing students, but neither of them really noticed.

            After nearly an hour, when their legs and arms had long since gone numb from the cold stone floor, they figured they should probably get up and go to class.  McGonagall, who did not know about Harry, would not be as lenient.  Both of their minds must have reached the thought about Harry at the same time because Hermione had a few last tears trail down her cheek as Ron brought her closer.  

            Severus and Dumbledore, who did not have a class next, chose that moment to walk out of the great hall together, they were about to go a different way when the huddled shape of Ron and Hermione met their eye.  They walked slowly over to the two students.  Ron looked up at the sound of them approaching, but Hermione kept her eyes locked on the ground.

"Yes professor?"  Ron asked solely out of custom, he knew the reason they were here.

"We were coming to ask you about your state."

"We're ok," Ron answered untruthfully.  Dumbledore fixed him with an accusatory look.

"I do believe the contrary Mr. Weasley.  You and Ms. Granger seemed quite hysterical today at lunch, and it is obvious neither of you managed to make it to class.  From this I would have to assume that you are less than ok."  Ron grimaced guiltily, he was at a loss for words, and luckily Hermione came to the rescue.

"How are the aurors doing?"  She sat there fiddling with her shoe lace uncertainly as she awaited his answer.

"Not so well unfortunately Ms. Granger."  He replied after a moment's hesitation, "but not to worry, they might just be able to make it in time.  They encountered a bit more opposition than expected, and lost half of there group in the struggles.  The injured aurors were forced to leave."  A nervous silence surrounded them for a moment.

"How many aurors are left Professor?"  Dumbledore glanced around uncertainly for a second; ambiguous as to whether or not he should answer her question.  Snape decided to do it for him,

"Two Ms. Granger, two are left, and truthfully it does not look very hopeful.  They are outnumbered 50 to one and they have approximately six hours not only to get past all of the death eaters, who are aware of there presence, but then to get into the castle and find Harry.  Then they have to manage to escape with a boy who can barely walk and Voldermort hot on their trail.  I think our only chance is that somehow Harry manages, on his unbelievable lucky streak, to escape.  And, I have to cast the spell to act appropriately as a spy.  There is no other choice."  Albus glanced sadly at the two on the floor when Snape was done speaking.  Regret was evident on his face.  Ron had paled and Hermione looked close to tears again.

"Is it true?"  She asked looking up at Dumbledore hopefully, and it crushed him to have to kill her hopes.  But he nodded sadly anyways and her face fell.  She buried her head into Ron's shoulder as she began to sob again, albeit a little more quietly this time.  He patted her back reassuringly.

"Please forgive us," Dumbledore spoke after a moment, "but we must be getting back to my office.  Feel free to take the rest of the day off.  I will see you later children."  Ron nodded in acknowledgment and the two professors turned and walked down the hallways that, with many connections would lead to the headmaster's office.

            Ron and Hermione sat there for maybe a minute or more before Ron stood up again, bringing Hermione with him.  He carried her to the top of the stairs, grateful that she was as light as she was, and made his way to the Gryffindor common room.  He found Dobby in there cleaning up and had him bring up some cider, which they sat there sipping, just staring at the fire.


	13. Pain and Suprises

Harry stood in front of Voldermort, shirtless, emaciated, and beaten almost beyond recognition. 

"So Harry," Voldermort said smirking maliciously, "how does it feel to be standing next to the most powerful wizard in the world?"  Harry just smiled to himself and rolled his eyes slightly.

"Other than the fact that it's a lie?  It feels like shit."  Voldermort was enraged.

"Who is more powerful that me?!"  Spittle flew from his mouth as he spat out in fury.  Smirking even more broadly Harry replied,

"Why Dumbledore of course."  Voldermort shook silently with rage before letting out a short little humorless laugh.

"I have you don't I?"  He hissed.  His voice was low and deadly.  "Your precious Dumbledore can do nothing ab-"

"Cunning," Harry interrupted, "has nothing to do with it.  If you are asking if you are more cunning than Dumbledore then the answer is a resounding yes, but Ol' Albus is still more powerful."  Voldermort's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Yes, well power is nothing without cunning and strategy behind it."

"True," Harry nodded, "then you better just hope that Dumbledore doesn't find you, it would be such a pity if you had to duel with him."  Harry smirked broader than ever even allowing himself a little chuckle at Voldermort's incensed expression.

"Crucio!"  Voldermort shrieked before Harry even had a chance to wipe the smirk from his face.  However because of the repeated regularity of this curse in the past few days Harry had grown accustomed to it.  He ground his teeth just standing his ground, praying that Voldermort would see that it didn't affect him as much anymore and take it off.  It was a desperate attempt to keep calm because even when the mind has given up the body still wants to fight for survival.  A few minutes later Voldermort raised the curse and sneered at Harry,

"Still have doubts about my power boy?"  Harry just rolled his eyes.

"Oh give me a break.  Even Wormtail can do that curse."  He yawned widely to emphasize his point.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"  Harry was picked up and thrown across the room.  His head hit the stone harder than either of them had anticipated and Harry blacked out.  This left Voldermort to his thoughts as the-boy-who-lived got a much deserved rest.

***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   

            Back at Hogwarts the air was getting stressed with tension as the minutes wore on.  This was especially noticeable for four in particular.  These four were getting visibly more harried as the day wore on dreading with every fiber of their being the evening that was approaching, but as things often do when you are dreading them, dinner that evening seem to rush at them with alarming speed and before they knew it they were one of the last ones sitting down to dinner.  Fudge and Mr. Weasley were the only two ministry officials to arrive but the students were already talking excitedly about the unexpected company.

            Ron and Hermione looked up to the head table to see the minister discussing furiously with Dumbledore.  He was no doubt about the fake letters they had received.  Hermione hoped that Dumbledore could come up with a reasonably plausible story because she was at a complete lack of ideas of what they could be told.  The truth was a bad idea they would probably burst up and try to arrest Snape, not that they wouldn't try and do that afterwards, but they might be too stunned.

            They heard the front doors burst open as the rest of the heads of departments came in.  Dumbledore motioned for Mcgonagall to go greet them and she left through the side door hurriedly and a few minutes later they entered through the larger doors and took their seats at the newly elongated head table.  Dumbledore stood up and the chatter died down almost immediately.

"It seems as though these admirable witches and wizards received fake notes from me asking for them to attend dinner with us in the great hall.  Alas, while there is no special occasion, they are already here so I have asked them to stay anyways and enjoy the fine cooking of the Hogwarts house elves.  Please try not to make them feel uncomfortable."  Dumbledore sat down, his face set; it would seem, with inexplicable sadness.  Ron leaned over to Hermione, "Oh yeah, don't want to make them feel uncomfortable, imagine how they are going to feel after the little show.  Imagine how Harry's feeling!"  The last part was said in a vehement hiss that caused several people to look around for the source of the noise in confusion.  Hermione's eyes began to tear slightly and Ron immediately regretted mentioning anything.  He leaned over to comfort her and the two spent the rest of the half hour watching Snape closely for any sign of movement.

            Finally at about 6:29 Snape stood up and walked convincingly without emotion around the edge of the table.  He walked to the center so that he now stood on the other side of the table directly across from Dumbledore.  He raised his wand with the great hall going silent in its wake.

"Apparexpo!"  A bright light burst from his wand and landed on the Slytherin wall of the great hall.  Everyone stared in rapture as a fuzzy picture about half as big as the wall appeared, slowly coming into focus.  When it was completely visible many students gasped and Hermione buried her head in Ron's chest.  A man with snake-like piercing red eyes stood over a bloodied lump of rags and skin lying crumpled on the cold stone floor. 

"Crucio!"  Voldermort shouted and everyone in the great hall flinched expecting to hear a pain filled scream issue from the poor person's mouth, but it never came.  The unrecognizable figure just lay there taking the pain with a passive acceptance.  Most students stared wide-eyed at the tortured human on the wall, a few of the Slytherins actually running up and pressing there noses against the wall trying to figure out who the unlucky bastard was but his face was hidden by a mop of blood stiffened hair and they all returned to their seats a few minutes later, their question unanswered.  After a few more seconds Voldermort lifted the curse (seeing at how it was a little less effective than he would have liked).  "Ardeossis!"  The people in the great hall, the ones who hadn't already left or fainted, cringed at each of the audible cracks that sounded as his ribs were snapped one by one.  Once this was finished Voldermort shouted another spell and most of the teachers and seventh years that knew the curse opened their mouths horrified as tiny holes the sizes of pinpricks were made all over his entire body.  The younger students who didn't know what happened watch horrified as a puddle of blood steadily grew under the body.  "Reparaso" Voldermort whispered and the blood stopped flowing instantly. "We don't want you to die yet do we?"  Voldermort added slowly circling the body as experimenting with new more painful curses.  

            Fudge's face was deathly pale.  Dumbledore almost felt sorry for him having to accept the return of Voldermort this way.  The rest of the Ministry officials were whispering horrified amongst themselves.  The ones who followed Dumbledore already knew about Voldermort but were just as revolted as the others.  Everyone was worried about the poor soul that Voldermort was demonstrating his power on.  Many thought, from lack of reaction, that he might already be dead.  Just as this notion was about to be accepted a tortured scream filled the air.  Voldermort had just used the "Dementia Visula" curse on Harry.  This caused his worst nightmare to only appear before him and all around him.  This caused some of the younger students who were unfamiliar with the curse to glance around in confusion, unsure of what was causing this boys pain.

            About eight minutes into the torture Voldermort lifted his current curse and conjured a mid-sized glass tank filled to the brim with water.  The crowd started to whisper and glance around at each other in bewilderment.  Their questions were answered though when Voldermort lifted the boy with a curse and dumped him in the tank.  Immediately a top was added to the tank allowing the figure no air.  Terror for the tortured spread through the crowd as the water immediately turned a murky pinkish-brown with all the blood that dissolved off him.  This while a disgusting sight, did clean up the boy remarkably.  The Slytherins who were sitting closest to the glass tank on the wall were now able to see who it was.  Draco Malfoy stood up in shock.

"Bloody hell" he spat, "that's Potter."  Immediately a small roar of babble broke out between those left in the hall.  Many glances were thrown at Ron and Hermione.  It was now painfully obvious that they had known beforehand what was going to happen.

            After about a minute and a half of Harry being in the tank, people were becoming steadily more worried as the boy-who-lived moved less and less.  Just when most had lost all hope that he might survive the glass shattered startling the half of the student body that was left in the hall.  Harry rolled onto the floor, his body forcing him to cough up the water in his lungs despite the fact that he didn't care about living.  Harry's body, now clean of the dried blood that had covered it previously, allowed people to see the true severity of his injuries.  Voldermort chuckled mirthlessly and looked, had this been a muggle movie, exactly where the camera would have been.  This created the terrifying illusion  that Voldermort was staring at each person individually.  

"Do you see these bruises, you marvelous wizards, you protectors of the all-mighty potter, do you see them?"  He moved aside allowing the great hall of clear view of Harry on all four coughing up both blood and water.  This also allowed them a perfect view of his unclothed back.  The entire hall gasped in unison and a few sobbing students were heard as they saw the extent of the bruising seeing all the cracked ribs that Voldermort had broken with his spell.  Voldermort reappeared closer to Harry so that you could now see them both.  "Only half of those are mine," he laughed, "and do you want to know where he got the other half?  He got them from a muggle, a great worthless oaf of a muggle, his uncle."  Tears filled the eyes of quite a few more people as Voldermort paused for emphasis.  A small voice was heard in the background, but it was not soft enough to be completely incoherent.  

"Yeah a great big ugly muggle if I do say so myself."  Harry was sitting painfully up against a wall now breathing heavily from the efforts it took to get him there.  Voldermort whipped around angrily.  A few uneasy chuckles were heard from the crowd.  

"Stupid boy," Voldermort sneered, kicking Harry in the side causing him to groan slightly as he was forced to fall sideways splayed now on his back, "do you not understand who you are talking to?  I am Lord Voldermort!  The most powerful wizard alive!  I was going to torture you a bit more," a smirk broke out of his face as he said this, "but you are grating on my nerves."  Harry pushed himself up onto his elbows as he still stayed lying in his back.  "I think I will kill you now."  There was a split second of silence before Harry burst out laughing.  It was a hollow, dry laugh that held absolutely no humor.  Voldermort stared, paralyzed by shock, the same state evident in the great hall.  Harry just kept on laughing.

"You want to kill me?"  He managed to choke out and Voldermort's wand hand twitched slightly.  "Go ahead and kill me, nothing's stopping you."  He closed his eyes and chuckled slightly to himself.  "Never though you'd be on the one to do it," he said almost to himself.  Voldermort stared at him skeptically.  Harry continued, "You know," he rolled his eyes when Voldermort still stood still, uncomprehendingly, "put me out of my misery, make me happy, give me what I want.  I always expected a long painful death.  Just having to lie there as life slowly drained out of my body, and here you are offering to kill me in a split second."  Voldermort opened his mouth to speak but Harry interrupted him, "Yes that right, you heard me, I want to die.  Nothing you could do would upset me now.  I am going to die sooner or later."  Voldermort's mouth had closed and now it slowly elongated to a horrible sneer.

"Is that so Mr. I-want-to-die Potter?  Well guess what I am going to do after you die?"  He took turned away from Harry and took a step towards the "camera".  "I am going to take down Hogwarts.  I am going to murder your friends brutally and painfully.  I will track down your family and murder them.  Oh wait," he smirked in sick humor, "I already did that, and did the world a favor if you ask me."  He was about to turn around and look at Harry again when a fist came flying at him hitting him squarely in the jaw.  He stumbled backwards and tripped over one of the larger pieces of glass lying sprawled out on his back.  Harry walked over to him and stepped heavily on his wrist causing him to drop his wand.  Harry was about to lean over and pick up the wand when Voldermort kicked him sharply on his broken femur.  Harry stumbled in pain and Voldermort jumped up and grabbed his wand again.  "Thought you could beat me Harry?"  The great stared up at the wall enraptured with what was happening many miles away.  Harry began to speak in gasps.

"You," he paused for a breath, "you will not hunt my friends."  He paused painfully again, "You will not take down Hogwarts.  You will not hurt anyone else because of me.  I have enough murders on my mind; I don't need a few hundred more to add to my conscious.  Voldermort just laughed.

"Oh yes?  And what are you going to do to stop me?  I have a wand and you don't.  I am healthy and strong, and you are withered and nearly dead.  What can a little brat like you do to stop me?  Crucio!"  Harry stepped nimbly aside, dodging the curse completely and surprising everyone who had thought that his broken bones would crumble upon use.  He began walking steadily, unnervingly towards Voldermort, his broken leg strangely healed.  He lifted his hands up and Voldermort began to rise slowly in the air as his wand flew out of his hand.  It landed in Harry's hand and he snapped it in two.  Voldermort who was hanging in midair began to scream in pain as Harry wandlessly cast some unknown curse at him.  He stopped screaming and stared in shocked fright at the still approaching Harry who stopped about two feet in front of him.  He slammed Voldermort into the wall allowing his head to slam painfully into the stone.  Shackles appeared out of nowhere attaching his wrists to the wall.  Harry dropped his hands and Voldermort dropped helplessly so that he was now hanging at eye level with Harry.  Harry raised one of his previously lowered arms and punched Voldermort squarely in the jaw again.  His limp head swung back and hit the wall with a painful sounding thwack.  The great hall still stared in rapture as Harry lowered his arms and gazed into Voldermort's blood red eyes.

"Going to kill me now Potter?"  Voldermort spat, blood flying from his mouth.  Harry shook his head.

"No," he pursed his lips and said resolutely, "I am not like you.  I don't kill for fun."   The picture in the great hall was beginning to fade.  The half hour was up.  People screamed in protest.  They were able to hear one last thing Harry said before the image faded completely.   "No, you are going to come with me.  Stupefy!"


	14. Amazing Recoveries

Ok, I am so sorry, I know that it has been sketchy updating lately, but I have AP's coming up, and all of the material that I had typed ran out, so this is worse than it usually is, sorry L  Ok, and I know that most of you don't like to leave the long replies, opting instead for something along the lines of  "good job! Update soon"  but please, while I really appreciate them!  Honestly , they keep me writing, it makes me happy,  cause I always feel like no one cares, and then I will get an update, and I will be like yay! And then, errr, wait, back to the subject, please don't (leave those kind of reviews that is)

HYPOCRITE ALERT! HYPOCRITE ALERT!

Yeah, I always leave reviews like that, *smiles sheepishly* but I really would appreciate it if you could leave me a correction to help me improve my writing, I would love you even more – yes that was a bribe - thanx

-Lizzie

            A few of the students that had left the great hall has peaked their heads back inside the door in curiosity.  A great roar of protest had arisen when the picture had faded completely.  They looked around for a second before pushing the door farther open and making their way back to their house table.  It took a few chaotic moments but the last person finally sat back at their own table and Dumbledore shut the doors to the great hall with a tired sigh.  There was a sickening silence that hung in the air so thickly that even months later people would swear that they could taste it.  It lasted for the longest seven seconds Hogwarts had even seen.  Finally Dumbledore stood up and surprised the students by sighing.  He looked older than he ever had before.  He closed his eyes momentarily in reverence for the boy-who-lived.  He didn't know how the poor boy had even managed to stun Voldermort let alone stand up, but he doubted greatly with the harshness of his injuries that he would even be able to get out of Voldermort's castle.  

            He was brought out of reverie when Severus who had walked back around the table touched his arm lightly, "Albus?"  Dumbledore smiled a sad, half-smile (which wasn't returned) and turned his attention back to his students.

"Students," he began, "I regret to inform you that you have probably lost one of your fellow students today.  A few gasps were heard and those who hadn't gotten sick from the sight they had just seen started to weep.  Dumbledore who had said just about all that needed to be said finished, "Please return to your house dormitories, you will receive further instructions in a few moments."

            Slowly the students began to rise, taking their time to glance morosely around the hall.  It had been about two minutes since the projection had faded and the first group of three students was about five feet from the door when it burst open.  The students jumped back in surprise and there was no a semi circle surrounding the door.

            Several people gasped and a few fainted, most were just wide eyed with horror.  There floating as if held up by invisible strings was Voldermort.  There was a bit of blood still trickling from the corner of his mouth making him look sinister even when unconcious.  Behind him was Harry.  His battered body shaking so furiously that it was amazing he was walking at all.  He staggered forward unevenly as people backed up rapidly in fear and amazement.  He was about two steps further when Dumbledore came to his senses.  He rushed forward and raised his wand shouting, "Mobilicorpus!"  Harry dropped his hand immediately and stood stock still for a moment before his knees collapsed and hit the floor with a thud.  His arms just managed to catch him as he fell to all fours still shaking feverishly.  He wretched violently and all save two took a few more steps back.  Ron and Hermione who seemed to have come out of their shock rushed forward and immediately knelt by their friend.

"H-h-Harry?"  Hermione asked timidly.  He made to speak but this caused him to wretch again.  "Its ok," she said hurriedly, "here, I am going to stun you alright?  I think it will put your body in a stasis until we can get you up to the hospital wing ok?"  He nodded his head and Hermione raised her wand.  "Stupefy" she whispered and Ron caught him as he began to fall.

            The crowd parted immediately as Ron stood with the excruciatingly light Harry in his arms.  Hermione led him, forward and they were almost out of the doors when a third member decided to join the party.

"You stunned him.  Good idea, though you shouldn't be carrying him.  It will only worsen his injuries."  Ron took a moment to glare at Snape as Hermione said the spell.  Harry floated out of his arms and they made the rest of the trip in silence.  

            When they entered the infirmary Madame Pomphry was already bustling around and they immediately knew which bed to put Harry on.  The night stand next to it was nearly overflowing with different types of potions and elixirs.  They quickly laid him down as both teens sat down on the adjacent bed.  The medi-witch immediately burst into action.  She was magically fixing all of his broken bones, and not bothering to have Harry actually swallow the potions, but merely apparating the correct amount into his bloodstream.  She was nearly on the last potion when Dumbledore closely followed by Mr. Weasley entered the infirmary.

"Poppy-" Dumbledore began but Madame Pomphry cut him off.

"Not now Albus."  She said curtly as she grabbed the second to last potion and measured out the correct amount.  She waved her wand and the potion disappeared.  She repeated this one more time before turning slowly around to face the headmaster.   "Yes?"  She said tiredly, her mood a good deal different from the efficient medi-witch a few moments before.

"Will he be alright?"  Dumbledore asked, not at all put off by her previously brusque manner.  Poppy walked over and sat down in one of the visitor's chairs, something neither Ron nor hermione had ever seen her do before.  She halfheartedly tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear before continuing.  

"I don't know.  I really hope he can pull through.  He always seems to survive despite our worst doubts.  Maybe he can do it again."  The room fell silent after she spoke her last hopeful words.  The stillness persisted a few moments more before Dumbledore sighed, looking like he was going to say something.  He was cut off for the second time that hour when a soft moan was heard from the bed that they all surrounded.  All of their heads whipped around as Harry stirred.  A few more incoherent mumbles could be heard before Harry said something distinguishable.

"What the hell did you put in me?  I feel like I just drank several thousand gallons of caffeine."  Without another word he dry heaved over the side of the bed.  He rolled back over and wiped his mouth on his arm.  "Ahhh, I see you put nothing in my stomach either; very clever."  No one said anything causing Harry to roll his eyes.  "Well don't stay silent.  Talk, make noise.  This silence is killing me."  Hermione visibly shuddered at Harry's terminology.  His mood darkened immediately.  "Where is he?"  Dumbledore reached into his pocket and drew out of it a small black stone.  Harry nodded.  "Good, give him to me."  He made to get up, and Madame Pomphry made a small noise of anxious protest.  Harry sent her a look and she settled for merely looking unhappy.  Harry stood, his newly healed body still shaking slightly with the effort.  "Nice work," he said grinning appraisingly at Poppy.  Her scowl lessened at his words and she mumbled,

"I do my best."  Harry walked over to Dumbledore each step increasing in its confidence.  He held out his hand and Dumbledore deposited the stone in his palm without hesitation.  Harry headed towards the door assuring everyone he knew they were following him when he said "room of requirements" over his shoulder.  

            They walked in silence the entire way, and everyone stood back as Harry passed the same spot on the wall three times.  A door appeared and Harry walked up and opened it without hesitation.  The other four (Albus, Arthur, Hermione, and Ron) walked in a little less confidently.  Once the four of them had all stepped into the room Harry waved his hand and the door slammed shut and disappeared into the wall.  The four people looked around them and exchanged confused glances.  They were in what looked to be, in all appearances, a storeroom.  Harry was stopped in front of a wardrobe in the corner.  He opened the door and the four people just got further confused when a dark gray mist oozed out onto the floor.

"Damn," Harry muttered lightly under his breath.

"Harry?"  Hermione asked questioningly.   Harry shoved the blob back into the wardrobe with his foot and turned around with an annoyed expression on his face.  I thought it would turn into a dementor like it usually does, but nothing seems to be going my way today."  He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful.  "Well, except for this cool wandless magic.  This is pretty neat."  Hermione didn't seem to have heard his last words though.

"That, that thing was a boggart?!"  Harry nodded and kicked at the wardrobe.

"Bloody useless thing it turned out to be too.  Well I guess we'll just have to go to Azkaban then."  He turned and walked out of the newly materialized door.  Those that were following him were too stunned to say anything and merely managed to follow dumbfounded in his wake.  

            It only took about two minutes to make it out of the front door of the castle, and a further ten from there to the front gate.  Small talk about the odd boggart was the only thing to arbitrarily penetrate the silence.  Once they passed the gate Harry turned back around.  

"Alright, Hermione you hold onto Dumbledore.  Ron, you hold onto your father.  We are going to Azkaban.  Both of you imagine a dementor clearly as you can as I doubt you have seen Azkaban.  Ok?  Ok.  Let's go then."  Without a last look he disapparated.  Both Dumbledore and Arthur exchanged surprised glances but managed to shake off their bewilderment pretty quickly.

"Ok, Ron?  Hemione? Ok, just think of a demntor alright?  Picture it as clearly as you remember it.  Ok, on the count of three."  Arthur finished speaking and Dumbledore grabbed Hermione's arm, Ron's dad doing the same thing for him.

"One," Dumbledore began, "two, three!"

With a pop (slightly louder than usual) all four of them were gone.


	15. Not So Amazing Recoveries

Ok, this is the rewrite that was so badly needed. I think the beginning of the chappy is ok, so I will just add on from . . .

"What the hell did you put in me? I feel like I just drank several thousand gallons of caffeine." Without another word he dry heaved over the side of the bed. He rolled back over and wiped his mouth on his arm. "Ahhh, I see you put nothing in my stomach either; very clever." No one said anything causing Harry to roll his eyes. "Well don't stay silent. Talk, make noise. This silence is killing me." Hermione visibly shuddered at Harry's terminology. His mood darkened immediately. "Where is he?" Dumbledore reached into his pocket and drew out of it a small black stone. Harry nodded.

Harry tried to get up to reach for it, but even before Madame Pomphry could make a noise of protest his arm had collapsed underneath him. He smiled wryly, "Well, it was worth a try anyways." He lay resignedly back down on his bed and turned to Hermione who had started forward the moment it had looked as if might need help. "So," he paused to continue, and she leaned forward in anticipation. He shook his head and continued, "I was wondering if you had any good books I could read. It looks as if I might be staying here for the next day or two and I do think it might get a bit boring." Hermione nodded again, even more enthusiastically then before, and jumped up looking happy to finally be doing something other than worry. "Educational please!" Harry called out after her as she practically ran out of the room. He turned back to Dumbledore smiling slightly at her zest.

"If you could please keep it firmly locked up, I would be most grateful." Harry asked, referring to the little black stone Dumbledore was still clutching in his hand. "Well, if you all don't mind I am going to get some rest." He turned to lie on his side. It amazed him at the speed he had gotten so tired, it had just come upon him like a wave. He was about to fall asleep before he remembered, he turned back and mumbled wearily, "Oh yes, and tell Hermione to just leave the books on the nightstand." He had barely made contact with his pillow when he was driven into unconsciousness. The others turned to leave and caught Hermione in the hallway where they informed her of the situation. She nodded and slipped quietly in and out of the infirmary before making her way back up to the common room knowing she both she and Ron were going to have to answer a lot of questions.

The next few days were very trying for Harry. He was not used to all of the attention he was getting. Finally on the sixth day he had had enough.

"Alright!" Hermione and Ron who had previously been fussing over the fact that Harry was "too active too early" jumped, "this is enough, I am fine, look!" and to prove his point he threw the covers aside and put his feet on the ground. He got slightly dizzy, but he wasn't about to admit that to his friends. "See! Fine!" He turned and started walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Hermione called out getting up and starting towards the door as well.

"Dumbledore's office." With that he turned into the corridor and started walking down the now familiar path. He had been dreading this moment slightly, and by the time he got to the gargoyle (which opened for him as he approached despite his obvious lack of password) he was really worried that his plan might work. He was, however, a master at concealing his emotions now and neither of his friends noticed anything. Maybe it was their obvious obliviousness, or the fact that they looked so unprepared, whatever it was, he knew that his plan would have to work. There was just no other option.

Ok from here on out, you guys have all read this, I hope you guys like the rewrite a little better, I don't know about it myself, but I will have a new chappy up soon, love you all!

Harry walked over to Dumbledore each step increasing in its confidence. He held out his hand and Dumbledore deposited the stone in his palm without hesitation. Harry headed towards the door assuring everyone he knew they were following him when he said "room of requirements" over his shoulder.

They walked in silence the entire way, and everyone stood back as Harry passed the same spot on the wall three times. A door appeared and Harry walked up and opened it without hesitation. The other four (Albus, Arthur, Hermione, and Ron) walked in a little less confidently. Once the four of them had all stepped into the room Harry waved his hand and the door slammed shut and disappeared into the wall. The four people looked around them and exchanged confused glances. They were in what looked to be, in all appearances, a storeroom. Harry was stopped in front of a wardrobe in the corner. He opened the door and the four people just got further confused when a dark gray mist oozed out onto the floor.

"Damn," Harry muttered lightly under his breath.

"Harry?" Hermione asked questioningly. Harry shoved the blob back into the wardrobe with his foot and turned around with an annoyed expression on his face. I thought it would turn into a dementor like it usually does, but nothing seems to be going my way today." He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Well, except for this cool wandless magic. This is pretty neat." Hermione didn't seem to have heard his last words though.

"That, that thing was a boggart?!" Harry nodded and kicked at the wardrobe.

"Bloody useless thing it turned out to be too. Well I guess we'll just have to go to Azkaban then." He turned and walked out of the newly materialized door. Those that were following him were too stunned to say anything and merely managed to follow dumbfounded in his wake.

It only took about two minutes to make it out of the front door of the castle, and a further ten from there to the front gate. Small talk about the odd boggart was the only thing to arbitrarily penetrate the silence. Once they passed the gate Harry turned back around.

"Alright, Hermione you hold onto Dumbledore. Ron, you hold onto your father. We are going to Azkaban. Both of you imagine a dementor clearly as you can as I doubt you have seen Azkaban. Ok? Ok. Let's go then." Without a last look he disapparated. Both Dumbledore and Arthur exchanged surprised glances but managed to shake off their bewilderment pretty quickly.

"Ok, Ron? Hemione? Ok, just think of a demntor alright? Picture it as clearly as you remember it. Ok, on the count of three." Arthur finished speaking and Dumbledore grabbed Hermione's arm, Ron's dad doing the same thing for him.

"One," Dumbledore began, "two, three!"

With a pop (slightly louder than usual) all four of them were gone.

I love you all! Review please!


	16. Plans Uncovered

In a miraculous recovery . . . another chapter! I know, it has been ages and ages and ages and ages . . . to tell you the truth, I would normally do a small recap of the story here because it has been an insanely long time . . . but I only have ten or fifteen minutes to write this (which means it is going to be choppy) and I don't have time to read through anything other than the last chapter. Also, there will be another entry after this, so don't stop reading! (if there are actually any of you guys left).

So here goes . . .

The other four arrived at Azkaban with just enough time to see Harry disappear behind the outer wall. They all rushed after him, barely catching a glimpse of a stunned guard before running to follow him down the labyrinth of hallways. They turned a final corner only for Ron, who was in the front due to his long and gangly legs, to nearly run into the back of Harry. A remark of surprise was nearly out of his mouth when the presence of a dementor merely feet in front of Harry caused it to jump back down his throat taking his stomach with it as it sank low into his abdomen.

Harry wasn't speaking at all. He silently seized the stone out of his pocket, took a step forward, and lowered it onto the floor. Harry shuffled backwards and held out of his hand. The creaking of the transformation drowned out Dumbledore's muffled protest and it was only moments later that a fully formed, unconscious dark lord lay splayed out in front of them.

There was a moment when Harry and the dementor locked gazes and after a short time it nodded and glided slowly forward.

"Don't move and do not make any noise." Harry whispered out the side of his mouth. "Timing for this is going to be crucial."

"What-" Hermione started to ask, but was cut off with a soft hiss from Harry.

A moment of stillness like they would never witness again took hold and it was only a minute before Harry whispered enervate. Red eyes snapped open, but the viewers only caught a glimpse of the horror they contained before their vision was obscured by a black and rotting cloak. In a moment of clarity they understood Harry's plan and all it took was that one miniscule moment for the beginning of the end to truly start.

It what would later seem like months, maybe even years, but was truly a matter of seconds, the small group witnessed the defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort. A vacuum like sound was heard as the spirit and memories of the former Tom Riddle disappeared into the grey, decaying lips of a dementor and were lost forever amidst the other souls the creature had consumed.

Harry closed his eyes as the body of his enemy hit the cold floor with a soft thud. He fell to his knees as the dementor floated away and a single tear made its way down his cheek. The others could see his lips moving slightly and a voice as faint as the wind found its way to their ears saying "it's over, it's over, it's over, it's over." After nearly fifteen seconds had passed, Dumbledore laid his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Let's go home" he murmured, and they did, leaving the corpse of the greatest dark lord in history behind them.


End file.
